Former Villa Somalia Chief of Staff Abshir Bukhari elected first senator in Somalia

cuy-wxbwaaebw5_ — Abshir Ahmed Bukhari becomes the first elected senator in Somalia after garnering a majority vote in the Galmudug state assembly elections. He will join another 53 members in the first Senate in Somalia’s history. Photo: Family

Abshir Ahmed Bukhari a former chief of staff in President Shariff Sheikh Ahmed’s administration has been elected the first senator in Somalia in the ongoing Galmudug state assembly elections for members of the Upper House in the Federal Parliament.

Bukhari easily sailed through to victory in the first set of 8 election rounds garnering 48 votes out a possible 89 while his opponents trailed behind with Ahmed Abdi Kahiye getting 23 and Kamal Dahir Hassan coming a distant third with 16 votes. One vote was declared spoilt.

Bukhari effectively enters the annals of history as the first senator in Somalia as the country ushers in a bicameral parliament. Bukhari worked for the Doha based news channel Al Jazeera and later an entrepreneur.

He served as Chief of Staff at Villa Somalia during the reign of President Shariff Sheikh Ahmed which spanned between 2009 and 2012.

Voting is still underway.

South West state is also expected to start voting for senators who will represent the state in the soon to be formed Upper House.

Other regions yet to start include Puntland, Jubbaland, Somaliland and the newly formed Hirshabelle states.