President Deni of Puntland is once again employing a deceitful strategy in the latest elections across three districts, echoing the same tactics he used during his last presidential election. His approach is disturbingly transparent: handpicking parliamentarians who pledge their loyalty to him and then using these selected individuals to manipulate other candidates.
These handpicked parliamentarians are instructed to assure each candidate of their vote, creating a facade of fair competition. Despite being selected by President Deni, these parliamentarians openly admit their association with him but falsely claim their independence. This manipulation was evident when, during the last election, Deni personally scoured hotels in Garowe in search of his parliamentarians who were supposedly hiding from him, a mere act to deepen the illusion of fairness.
Abdiqadir Dhashane, a close ally of the president and his appointee to oversee the labor party, was at the forefront, misleading candidates into believing they had a real chance of winning. This charade successfully created an illusion of legitimacy, ultimately leading to President Deni’s victory.
Currently, the same strategy is being recycled. With no other viable candidates, the people of Puntland are being subjected to another rigged election, with the president aiming to obscure the fraudulent nature of the previous one. Despite the glaring irregularities of the last election, no efforts have been made to rectify past wrongs. The Puntland election commission remains inactive, yet it theatrically pretends to oppose the government.
Amid the campaign, the commission issued a warning to all parties to adhere to campaign rules and subsequently fined the Kaah party $5,000 for violations. Abdiqadir Dhashane has publicly criticized the Kaah party for misusing government funds in its campaign. Meanwhile, President Deni falsely claims that he has been fair by allocating votes to the Sincad party since the last election, aiming to portray a balanced competition.
The real plan, however, is to allow other parties to win some districts to create a facade of fairness and legitimacy. This strategy is nothing but a theatrical performance designed to mislead the people of Puntland.
The famous adage goes, “You can fool some people sometimes, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.” The people of Puntland will eventually see through President Deni’s intent to cling to power indefinitely. It is only a matter of time before the constitution is altered to allow him a third term, further solidifying his grip on power.
By: Abdirashid Sheikh Mohamud, Chairman of Labor Party.
Email: info.shaqalaha@gmail.com