MOGADISHU — Somali lawmakers elected Mohamed Mursal Sheikh Abdirahman — the former defense minister — as their new speaker after two rounds of voting in which the man trounced his nearest challenger by 29 votes.
The position fell vacant earlier this month when the former speaker, Mohamed Osman Jawari, resigned following a falling-out with the Executive, especially with Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khayre.
“Two hundred and sixty five members of parliament voted. Lawmaker Ibrahim Isaq Yarow got 118 (votes). Lawmaker Mohamed Mursal Sheikh Abdirahman got 147” votes, said Deputy Speaker Abdiweli Sheikh Ibrahim Mudey who chaired the session. “Mr. Mohamed Mursal Sheikh Abdirahman won the speakership of the People’s House.”
President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed “Farmajo.” congratulated Abdirahman, members of the federal parliament and the Somali public.
“I pray to Allah to make the hard job assigned to the elected speaker easy,” Farmajo said.
In a brief speech, Yarow conceded defeat and congratulated the new speaker, Abdirahman. He also said he was “pleased” with the result.
“The contest was a democratic and healthy race. It happened in a legal way,” he said. “I don’t believe that I was defeated. But I believe that Somalia’s nation building process is succeeding.”
He urged the People’s House to restore its role as the public’s watchdog over other government arms. He promised to work with the new speaker.
For his part, Abdirahman also thanked lawmakers who voted for or against him, promising that he will work for the interest of the House.
“You entrusted me with a very heavy and large responsibly that needs to be protected very much in its execution, “ he said. “I promise to execute this responsibility as you have entrusted me with.”
Abdirahman said he would fulfil all the 10-point policy plan he campaigned on – and anything else that concerns the People’s House.
He asked lawmakers’ support, saying, “I am all the time ready to listen to and welcome all your ideas relating to the execution of this national responsibility you elected me for.”
Last week, just six months after his appointment, Abdirahman quit his defense portfolio to vie for the speakership.
“In front of you, I promise to the Somali public to serve them honestly and for the interest of the country, people and religion, while observing the provisional constitution and all the other laws of the country,” he said.
Eleven contestants took part in the race for the speakership. Only four candidates reached the second round. In the first round, Abdirahman, the winner, got 83 votes and Ibrahim Isaq Yarow collected 69 votes, while both Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen and Sharif Mohamed Abdalla got 54 and 19 votes respectively.