Puntland is once again being summoned—to halls, forums, and carefully curated “consultations.” The Puntland State Presidency and the President Said Abdullahi Deni, have opened their doors to intellectuals, former public office holders, segments of the youth, and—selectively—traditional elders. The optics are impressive. The question is brutal: is this statesmanship, or is it federal electioneering in disguise?
This is not a semantic debate. It is the difference between leadership and choreography.
The Theater of Inclusion
Public consultations are not new to Puntland. They were foundational in 1998. They mattered because they were open, plural, and consequential. Today’s gatherings, however, feel filtered. Some elders are absent—not because they are irrelevant, but because relations with the presidency are strained. A consultation that excludes dissent is not consultation; it is confirmation bias with microphones.
You cannot claim consensus while pre-selecting the choir.
Timing Is Everything—and This Timing Is Loud
Why now? Why the sudden burst of listening tours, roundtables, and “national mood” readings? Puntland is approaching a critical junction in federal politics. Electoral rules, representation, and the balance between center and periphery are all in play. In such moments, leaders either build durable consensus or assemble campaign props.
If the exercise is genuine, outcomes should follow:
A clear agenda with published questions, not vague platitudes.
Inclusive representation, especially of critical elders and dissenting voices.
Transparent outputs—communiqués, timelines, and policy commitments.
A binding pathway from consultation to decision-making.
Absent these, the suspicion hardens: this is about positioning, not progress.
Youth as Backdrop, Not Drivers
The youth are present—photographed, applauded, quoted. But are they empowered? Or are they being used to project modernity while decisions remain sealed elsewhere? Token youth participation is worse than exclusion; it instrumentalizes hope.
Elders Divided, Society Fragmented
Traditional elders are not ornaments to be invited when convenient. They are custodians of social contracts. If some cannot be brought into the same room because of political grievances, that is precisely why the room must be opened wider, not narrower. Leadership is measured by the ability to reconcile adversaries, not avoid them.
The Test Ahead
The next few days will expose intentions. If this process culminates in:
unilateral announcements,
campaign-style messaging,
or silence after applause,
then Puntland will know it has witnessed a rehearsal, not a reckoning.
But if the presidency dares to publish disagreements, incorporate critics, and bind itself to collective decisions—even uncomfortable ones—then history will record this moment as a pivot forward.
Puntland does not need another performance. It needs purpose.
The people are watching. And this time, they are counting more than chairs filled—they are counting truths told and power shared.
Warsame Policy & Media Network (WAPMEN) 