Galmudug Parliament to Elect Speaker and Deputies

GOOBJOOG NEWS|DHUSAMAREEB: Dhuusamareeb Members of the Galmudug State Assembly are expected to elect a new speaker and two deputy speakers on Sunday, in another step towards establishing the regional administration’s new political leadership.

Preparations are underway at the election venue in Dhuusamareeb, the administrative capital of Galmudug, where lawmakers, election officials, representatives of the Federal Government of Somalia and senior regional officials have gathered for the vote.

Several candidates are contesting the three leadership positions, with assembly members expected to cast their ballots to determine who will lead the regional legislature.

The newly elected speaker and deputies will be responsible for presiding over parliamentary proceedings, coordinating legislative business and overseeing the assembly’s work, including its role in holding the regional executive accountable.

The election comes amid a broader political transition in Galmudug, where the establishment of new regional institutions forms part of an ongoing electoral process.

The 89-member assembly was sworn in on Friday, October 16, with Mohamed Sheikh Ahmed, the oldest lawmaker, assuming the position of interim speaker pending the election of permanent parliamentary leaders.

According to the electoral commission’s list of candidates, Ismail Abdi Jimcale Calasow of the Sincad political organisation is contesting the speakership against Hussein Mohamed Noor Mohamed of the Justice and Solidarity Party (JSP). Abdulqadir Ahmed Ali Guuri and Mursal Abdi Aadan Cilmi, both from JSP, are contesting the first and second deputy speaker positions, respectively.

The new assembly emerged from a repeat election held on September 30 after Somalia’s Supreme Court annulled the July 30 vote, citing violations of constitutional and electoral procedures. The court subsequently approved the rerun results, clearing the way for the formation of the new legislature.

JSP, which is associated with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, secured 67 of the assembly’s 89 seats, giving it a substantial parliamentary majority. However, the rerun was marked by controversy after the electoral commission excluded the Towfiiq political organisation, which had successfully challenged the original election results in court.

The election of the parliamentary leadership will be followed by a vote for Galmudug’s president and vice president, scheduled for October 22. JSP has nominated Liban Ahmed Hassan as its presidential candidate.

The elections are part of Somalia’s wider transition towards direct voting through political organisations, replacing the indirect selection arrangements that have historically dominated the country’s electoral system. However, the reforms remain politically contested, with opposition groups questioning aspects of their implementation and the level of political consensus.