Presidential Term of Somalia's Puntland ExtendedDespite political tension, Abdullahi Yussuf Ahmed, president of the semi-autonomous regional administration of Puntland, in northeast Somalia, was Wednesday sworn in for another three-year term in office.In a ceremony held inside the House of Representatives in Garoweh town of Nugal region, Ahmed and his deputy Mohamed Abdi Hashi were sworn in as president and vice president for the semi- autonomous region of Puntland. According to Ismael Haji Warsameh, Director-General of Puntland 's presidential office, the rest government officials and the parliamentarians will be sworn in on Thursday. The first three-year term for Ahmed and his administration ended up on June 30. There have been serious political disagreements over Ahmed's desire to remain in office for another three years without elections. However, Ahmed has held a meeting for his cabinet and then for his parliament, asking the politicians for the endorsement of his another term in the office without elections. According to Warsameh, 59 out of the 66 members of the parliament, as well as the traditional leaders in the region, have endorsed the extension of the presidency of Ahmed. |
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