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Puntland elders name chief justice as “acting president”

Senior traditional elders in the self-declared autonomous region of Puntland, northeastern Somalia, who were debating the controversy surrounding the extension of the mandate of President Abdullahi Yusuf and his administration have come out in support of new elections and named an acting president, local sources told IRIN. The elders, who have been meeting in Garowe, the regional capital, since 18 July, decided on Wednesday to confirm Puntland Chief Justice Yusuf Haji Nur as “acting president of Puntland until 31 August” when he is to call a general congress of representatives of all Puntland regions to a elect a new administration, sources said. Meanwhile, the administration of Abdullahi Yusuf has dismissed the elders’ move and accused them of encroaching on areas outside their mandate. Isma’il Warsame, the chief of cabinet of the Puntland president, told IRIN on Thursday that the administration was not bound by the outcome of the elders’ meeting, and “will ignore their call”. “We have already stated that whatever decisions they reach will change nothing. Abdullahi Yusuf is still the President and all branches of government are reporting to him”, insisted Warsame. [For more details see IRIN Separate: Puntland elders turn down new term for president]

This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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