Constitutions and laws
Constitution of Puntland
Puntland's constitution was adopted on 18 April 2012, when 472 of 480 delegates voted for it. It replaced a provisional charter of 1998 and a transitional constitution of 2001. It sets up a parliamentary system with a 66-member House of Representatives that elects the president, sets out rights and the state's economic rules, and must be harmonised with the federal constitution. Parliament amended it on 25 July 2023 to move to direct elections, by 54 votes to 6.
What is it?
The Constitution of Puntland is the highest law of Puntland, a federal member state of Somalia in the north-east. It sets out how the state government is chosen, what powers it has and which rights people hold. It is subject only to the federal constitution (Wikipedia, Constitution of Puntland). An English translation of an earlier text is kept by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAOLEX, Constitution of Puntland).
How was it made?
1998: the Garowe charter. Delegates began arriving in Garowe in early May 1998. The constitutional conference opened on 15 May. More than 460 delegates from the area's communities took part. They adopted a provisional charter in July and elected a president and vice-president, founding the Puntland State of Somalia (Interpeace and PDRC, The Puntland Experience).
2001: a transitional constitution. Puntland's House of Representatives adopted a transitional constitution. It allowed for a future federal Somalia and set up a commission to draft a permanent text (UNDP Somalia, Transitional Constitution of Puntland). Its principles included Islamic law, shared decision-making, separation of powers, decentralisation, a multi-party system, private property and individual rights (same source).
2012: the permanent constitution. On 18 April 2012 a constituent assembly approved the current text. Of 480 delegates, 472 voted in favour (AllAfrica, 18 Apr 2012). A first draft had been published in 2007 (Garowe Online, draft constitution, archived).
What does the 2012 constitution contain?
It has six parts (Wikipedia, outline of the text):
- The state and its principles: name, rule of law, system of government, census, land and borders, language, religion, capital (Garowe), flag and anthem.
- Rights: individual rights and when they can be suspended, family rights, citizenship and voting.
- The economy: free enterprise, natural resources, the environment, the state's role, joint ventures and public property.
- The structure of government: a parliamentary system with three branches. It also sets up the Attorney General, an office for human rights, the Auditor General, the electoral authority, and regional and district administrations.
- Administration: the civil service and public finance.
- Supremacy and reform: the constitution's rank, how to amend it, and harmonisation with the federal constitution (Article 135).
The House of Representatives has 66 members, chosen through clan elders and delegates, and elects the president. The 2012 text limited the number of political parties to three (Elections in Puntland, citing FAOLEX).
The 2023 amendments
In 2023 the government proposed to change two articles (Goobjoog News, 26 Jul 2023):
- Article 44: the president, vice-president, MPs and district councils would be "elected directly by the people", instead of MPs being chosen by clan caucuses.
- Article 46: any party that won a district council seat would be registered. From 2028 a party would need at least 5 percent of council seats to qualify.
While parliament debated the changes in late June 2023, government and opposition forces clashed in Garowe. At least 30 people were killed (Goobjoog News; Al Jazeera, 20 Jun 2023). A ceasefire was agreed on 21 June (Al Jazeera, 21 Jun 2023).
Parliament passed the amendments with 54 votes for and 6 against, of 60 MPs present (Goobjoog News). Critics said President Said Abdullahi Deni wanted more time in office. Guled Salah Barre and the Mideeye political organisation petitioned the Constitutional Court (same source).
The direct presidential vote was later dropped. On 8 January 2024 parliament re-elected Deni by 45 votes to 21 (Elections in Puntland).
Puntland and the federal constitution
Puntland withdrew recognition of the federal government in March 2024, after the federal parliament amended four chapters of the federal constitution (Eastleigh Voice, 2024). It also rejects the federal amendments of March 2026 (Africa at LSE, 13 May 2026). See Constitution of Somalia.
Related pages
Sources
- Wikipedia, Constitution of Puntland · en.wikipedia.org
- FAOLEX, Constitution of Puntland · faolex.fao.org
- Interpeace and PDRC, The Puntland Experience · radiodaljir.com
- UNDP Somalia, Transitional Constitution of Puntland · so.undp.org
- AllAfrica, 18 Apr 2012 · allafrica.com
- Garowe Online, draft constitution, archived · web.archive.org
- Goobjoog News, 26 Jul 2023 · en.goobjoog.com
- Al Jazeera, 20 Jun 2023 · aljazeera.com
- Al Jazeera, 21 Jun 2023 · aljazeera.com
- Eastleigh Voice, 2024 · eastleighvoice.co.ke
- Africa at LSE, 13 May 2026 · blogs.lse.ac.uk
Toosoo!
Calankii is made by Toosoo, which works for one united, prosperous Somalia.
Can you help with Constitution of Puntland? Tell us what you can give.
I want to help with this
Where this matters
- Boosaaso (Bosaso) and BariBari is Puntland's north-east region, with the port city of Bosaso (Boosaaso) as its capital and about 1.28 million people.
- Garoowe (Garowe) and NugaalNugaal is the region around Garoowe (Garowe), Puntland's capital, with about 656,910 people in three districts.
- Gaalkacyo (Galkayo) and MudugMudug is a region of central Somalia with about 1.5 million people, split between Puntland in the north and Galmudug in the south.
Same era
- Australia18,401 people of Somali ancestry and 8,101 born in Somalia lived in Australia at the 2021 Census, more than half in Victoria. History, work, issues.
- Birmingham (Somali diaspora)About 17,000 to 21,600 Somalis live in Birmingham (Census 2021), mostly in Nechells, Newtown, Small Heath and Alum Rock. History, work, health and ties home.
- Bristol (Somali diaspora)9,167 people in Bristol identified as Somali or Somalilander in Census 2021, the city's largest minority group. Where they live, work, housing, leaders and ties home.
- Calgary, Alberta, Canada2,845 people of Somali origin lived in Calgary at the 2021 Census, plus 890 in Brooks. How they came, who serves them and what they face.
- Denmark (Somali diaspora)21,885 people of Somali origin lived in Denmark in 2026, half born there. Numbers, history, work, permit reviews, and ties home.
- DjiboutiAbout 13,900 refugees from Somalia live in Djibouti (Aug 2026): numbers since 1990, Ali Addeh, Holl-Holl, the 2017 refugee law, Arta 2000 and 2025 returns.
Keep reading
- Somali citizenship law: who is a Somali citizenSomali citizenship law: Law No. 28 of 1962, citizenship by birth through the father, by grant, by marriage, losing it, dual citizenship, the 2012 constitution and the 2016 reform bill.
- Somaliland citizenship law (Law No. 22/2002)Somaliland's Citizenship Law of 2002: citizenship by birth, proof through a registered akil, grants to foreigners after 10 years, marriage, children, loss and re-acquisition, and the 1960 ordinance it builds on.
- Laws of Somaliland: list of numbered laws since 1993A list of Somaliland's numbered laws, 1993 to 2021, by subject: constitution and government, elections and parties, courts and crime, money and tax, business, the sea, and social laws, with links to each text.
- Data Protection Act 2023 (Law No. 005)Somalia's Data Protection Act of 2023: who it covers, the rights it gives, rules on consent, children, breaches and transfers abroad, registration, penalties and the Data Protection Authority.
- Sexual offences laws in Somaliland and SomaliaThe history of rape and sexual offences laws in Somaliland (Law No. 78/2018 and Bill No. 78/2020) and in federal Somalia (the 2018 Sexual Offences Bill, the 2020 draft and the bill passed by the House of the People in October 2026).
- Cybersecurity and cybercrime laws, SomaliaSomalia's Cybersecurity Law and Cybercrime Bill: what each covers, the bodies they create, and each step through Cabinet, the House of the People and the Upper House from 2025 to 2026.