Southwest State to conclude elections in the next few days, electoral body says

Elections in Somalia’s Southern regional state are expected to be concluded in the next few days as 16 parliamentarians remain to be filled, State Indirect Electoral Implementation Team (SIEIT) announced.

Speaking in the capital administrative of South West State, Baidoa, SIEIT Deputy Chairman, Sid Ali Omar Hussein, said the electoral body successfully 53 seats out of 69 parliamentary seats within a very short time frame and with limited resources.

He expressed optimism that the exercise will be completed next week going by the positive efforts made so far by the federal government, the regional administration and international partners, adding that the challenging times are now behind them.

“We have held elections for 53 MPs and now we will deliver the remaining 16 in the next few days,” said Hussein.

On Saturday, four more candidates were elected to the Lower House of the Federal Parliament.

First was Mohamed Said Abdillahi who was elected by the Begedi/Abaasad clan, garnering 40 votes against his two opponents Keyse Mayow Abuu Hassan and Khalid Omar who got one and three votes respectively.

In the other contest, Abdukadir Moalim emerged the winner after his only opponent Fadumo Osman Mayow stepped down.

Former MP Abdullahi Sheikh Ismael was re-elected by his Biimal clan, after his opponent Amina Abdullahi Sheikh Abdi stepped down.

Another former MP, Abdulahi Omar Bashir, was also re-elected by delegates from his Biimaal Ismiin clan, receiving all the 51 votes cast.

MP-elect Abdillahi who defeated the former Federal Minister of Sports, Khalid Omar Ali, who has represented his community for the past 12 years, urged residents to be united and work hard to achieve peace and stability.

“I would like to extend messages of peace and progress to the Somali people. It is my hope that from here, our people will be able to elect a representative of their choice,” he said in his victory speech.