Garowe(Mogadishu24)-Puntland State Minister for Internal Affairs, Abdi Farah Said Juha has strongly criticized the community leaders in the Nugal region for failing to fulfill their responsibility of apprehending individuals who are causing chaos in Garowe, alleging that their opposition to the elections is hindering progress.

Minister Juha expressed his disappointment with the community leaders, stating that they should have taken proactive measures to identify and address potential disruptors of the election process before the situation in Garowe escalated.
He explained that his ministry had made efforts to prevent any issues from arising, but unfortunately, the community leaders did not fulfill their duties.

While expressing readiness to engage in discussions to resolve the current electoral stalemate, Minister Juha emphasized that interference in the affairs of the Puntland people is not feasible. He stressed the importance of allowing the people of Puntland to exercise their own agency and resolve internal matters independently.

“I have taken various measures and precautions to prevent any problems. Unfortunately, the community leaders did not fulfill their role in intervening among the people and holding accountable those responsible for causing problems. This is a regrettable issue as the community leaders did not take any action before the situation escalated,” Minister Juha said.

Juha further identified four cousins as the individuals responsible for causing problems in Garowe, alleging that they have ulterior motives to seize control over the fate of the Puntland people.

Puntland State is gearing up to hold its presidential election on January 8, 2024, marking a milestone as the region embarks on its first-ever democratic elections with the implementation of a “one person, one vote” approach. The upcoming election holds great importance for the future of Puntland, as the region seeks to consolidate democratic principles and ensure the voice of every citizen is heard.