Somalia to swears in new parliament

Somalia  is expected to swear in Members of Somalia’s both houses (Lower and Upper Houses) bringing the country a step closer to completing its journey to democracy.

256 members of lower house who have been so far elected by some 14,000 delegates selected by their clans will be among the members to be sworn today .

A cleric appointed by general secretary of the outgoing parliament will administered the oath of office to more than 299 members of both houses, according to a event procedure seen by Goobjoog media.

The parliament also includes 73 number of women lawmakers, following a strong push from the international community and the passing of a provisional constitution that guarantees more political rights for women.

The new parliament will elect a speaker and his deputies within this week.

Over twenty candidates are running to become Somalia’s president who will then choose a prime minister.

The Horn of Africa nation has lacked a stable central government since the 1991 overthrow of dictator Siad Barre in 1991, which unleashed a civil war and two decades of chaos.

Somalia has been trying to rebuild after establishing its first functioning central government since 1991,