Puntland State and its people are today celebrating there 25th anniversary as full fledged state in Somalia.
Formed in 1998, the formation of Puntland was a result of local communities coming together and building a state that serves and secures the needs of the local populace in the wake of the collapse of Somalia’s central government in 1991.
Puntland founding was led by Colonel Abdullahi Yusuf, a former and veteran colonel in the Somali National Army (SNA), who would later become the first president of the Puntland state.
Often credited it with being the Mother of Federalism, Puntland has played a pivotal role in the rebuilding of the state and its constitution, ushering in a federal system, which gives local communities that right to self governance while maintaining unity of the Somali nation.
Puntland having amended its constitution just this past July moves into a full fledged democratization, and is expected to elect the president, the vice president and members of the people’s assembly via one-person, one-vote democratic representation.
