President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud speaking at the 5th the Annual Judicial Conference. Source: Villa Somalia
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said on Wednesday that Somalia is a “single state” and that the central government is fully responsible for the affairs of all citizens in the country.
His remarks come following Puntland State’s announcement on Monday that it will conduct its own affairs as an independent government until the Federal Constitution of Somalia is ratified. Puntland is one of Somalia’s six federal member states (FMS).
“Federalising the country does not mean the disintegration of the country,” Mohamud said at the Fifth Annual Judicial Conference held in the capital Mogadishu.
“We are a republic known as the Federal Republic of Somalia; we are a single state.”
Mohamud said all Somali citizens are equal and that the central government, not the federal member states, is accountable to all citizens across Somalia.
“Whatever affects a Somali citizen in Ras Kamboni and Ras Caseyr [Somalia’s southernmost and northernmost towns respectively] … it is the responsibility of the central government not the FMS.”
On Monday, Puntland issued a statement saying it will operate as an independent government until the Constitution is completed and a referendum held.
“According to the Puntland Constitution, Article 4, paragraph 2, the Puntland Government will negotiate with the Federal Government on its own terms and interests until the completion of the country’s federal process,” the statement by Puntland read.
According to Article 142 of the provisional Federal Constitution, “the Federal Member States existing prior to the adoption of this provisional Constitution by a National Constituent Assembly shall retain and exercise powers by their own State Constitution independently until after the provisional Constitution is harmonised and adopted by all states.”
Following a three-day National Consultative Council (NCC) late last December, the federal government and member state leaders on a five-point joint communique.
The points were signed by all parties except Puntland which refrained from signing two of the points; one on the delineation of powers at the federal and regional levels, and another on the federalisation of the country’s judicial system.
The remaining three points were on security and war on terrorism, democratisation and elections, and the recent incidents in Baidoa.
