| About the Government | |
| Office of the President | Cabinet | Parliament | Constitution | Agencies | |
The State of Puntland has three branches of Government,
- The Executive Branch
- The House of the Representatives.
- The Judiciary
The Executive Branch
President:
The executive authority of the State is vested in the President who is the Head of State, and who also symbolizes the unity of the State. As President he is also the Commander-in-Chief of the military forces.
The President is elected by the House of Representatives; the term of office for the President is four (4) years. He is eligible for re-election at the end of his term.
Vice–President :
The Vice-President is to assist the President in the execution of his duties, in the absence of the President he is the Head of State.
The Vice-President is elected by the House of Representatives in conjunction with the President; the term of the office is four (4) years. He is eligible for re-election.
Cabinet:
The Ministers are appointed by the President, in consultation with the Vice-President, based on who, in his opinion, can form a government that has the confidence of the House of Representatives.
The function of the Cabinet is to advise the President. It is collectively responsible to Parliament for all government policies and the operation of government services.
Affairs of the government are carried out by the government departments, each headed by a Minister. The Minister is responsible to Parliament for the activities of the department. These departments are staffed by a career public service, whose members do not relinquish their jobs on a change of government.
The House of Representatives
The legislative authority of the State is vested in the House of Representatives, comprised of 66 members who represent every region of Puntland. The House of Representatives has a president and two (2) deputy presidents who are elected from amongst its members.
The President is to preside over the House when it is in session and exercise the factions designated in the constitution. The Deputies are to assist the President in executing his duties. The House of Representatives has committees that oversee, scrutinize, and hold to account the Departments of the Ministries of the executive branch, in the conduct of their duties.
The Judiciary
The judiciary is independent from the Executive and Legislature, and is required by the law of the land.
The judicial agencies are; the Supreme Court, the Courts of Appeal, and the Primary Courts.
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, which is the highest court in Puntland, is appointed by the President and approved by the House of the Representatives.
