Galmudug Parliament Swears In 89 Members, Names Interim Speaker

GOOBJOOG NEWS | DHUSAMAREB: Mohamed Sheikh Ahmed has become interim Speaker of the Galmudug State Parliament following the swearing-in of 89 newly elected lawmakers, marking a key step in the formation of the regional administration’s legislative leadership.

Ahmed assumed the temporary position by virtue of being the oldest member of the new parliament, a procedural arrangement that allows him to preside over the assembly until lawmakers elect a permanent Speaker and deputy speakers.

The swearing-in ceremony took place in Dhusamareb on Friday, formally bringing the newly elected members into the regional legislature.

The new assembly emerged from a repeat parliamentary election held on September 30, following a Supreme Court ruling that annulled the previous vote conducted in July over irregularities in the electoral process. The National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission subsequently announced the results of the rerun.

The election forms part of Somalia’s wider efforts to introduce direct elections through political organisations, moving away from the indirect, clan-based system that has long shaped the selection of political representatives.

The immediate task for the new lawmakers is to elect the permanent parliamentary leadership, which will oversee legislative business and help shape the next phase of Galmudug’s political transition.

According to the electoral timetable, the election of the Speaker and deputy speakers was scheduled for October 18, followed by the regional presidential election on October 22.

The formation of the new parliament comes at a significant moment for Galmudug, as the regional administration prepares to select its legislative and executive leadership following the disputed electoral process.