Somalia’s Representatives Sworn In To East African Legislative Assembly In Arusha
GOOBJOOG NEWS|ARUSHA: Somalia’s newly selected representatives to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) were officially sworn in on Monday in Arusha, Tanzania, marking a significant step in the country’s participation in regional governance within the East African Community (EAC).
The swearing-in ceremony took place at the EALA headquarters and was attended by senior officials from member states of the regional bloc.
The Federal Government of Somalia emphasized the importance of strengthening regional relations through deeper integration, cooperation, peace, and shared development across the East African Community.
The nine lawmakers sworn in are expected to represent Somalia’s interests in the regional parliament and participate in legislative processes shaping policies across the bloc.
Those sworn in include:
- Abukar Abdi Osman
- Hussein Hassan Abdi
- Sahra Ali Hassan
- Ilhan Ali Gasar
- Fatima Abdullahi Mahmoud
- Abdisalam Hadliye Omar
- Abdirahman Bashir Sharif
- Faisal Abdi Roobke
- Fahma Ahmed Noor
The swearing-in follows a legal challenge previously filed by Somali individuals who opposed the process used to select the representatives. The case was ultimately unsuccessful, clearing the way for the lawmakers to assume their seats in the regional parliament.
Somalia joined the East African Community in November 2023 as the bloc’s eighth member state. Membership grants the country representation in the East African Legislative Assembly, the regional parliament responsible for debating and passing legislation that guides cooperation among member states.
The EAC currently includes Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Somalia, and aims to deepen economic integration through initiatives such as a common market and expanded regional trade and infrastructure cooperation.