Sadia Yasin Assumes Leadership of Somalia’s Lower House in Historic First for Women

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: Somalia’s political landscape entered a new chapter on Tuesday after First Deputy Speaker of the House of the People, Sadia Yasin Haji Samatar, formally assumed leadership of the federal parliament’s lower chamber.

The transition follows the election of former Speaker Sheikh Adan Mohamed Nur (Adan Madobe) as President of South West State.

Under the Rules of Procedure of the House of the People, the First Deputy Speaker automatically takes over the responsibilities of the Speaker on an interim basis whenever the position becomes vacant or the Speaker is unable to perform official duties. Sadia Yasin will therefore lead the chamber until a new Speaker is elected.

Her assumption of office marks a historic milestone, making her the first woman to legally and formally preside over Somalia’s House of the People, the country’s highest legislative body.

The development is being viewed as a significant moment in Somalia’s political history, as no woman has previously taken charge of the lower house since the establishment of the country’s federal institutions.

Sadia Yasin had already made history in 2022 when she was elected First Deputy Speaker of the House of the People. That victory made her the first woman to attain the position, breaking longstanding barriers to women’s participation in Somalia’s top political leadership.

Her elevation to the helm of the chamber is expected to further highlight the growing role of women in Somalia’s governance and decision-making institutions.