Somaliland parliament elects new speaker

by: Staff Reporter | 03 August 2021 14:37

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Somaliland parliament elects new speaker

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) - The breakaway Somaliland parliamentarians have today elected an opposition lawmaker Abdirisak Khalif as their new speaker barely two months after the political opposition parties vowed unite against the ruling party.

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MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) - The breakaway Somaliland parliamentarians have today elected an opposition lawmaker Abdirisak Khalif as their new speaker barely two months after the political opposition parties vowed unite against the ruling party.

In the parliamentary and local elections held in late May, Somaliland’s political opposition parties, Waddani and UCID won majority of the seats across the region.

In bitterly contested election, Mr. Khalid who is from Waddani garnered 42 votes while his challenger, Yasin Haji Mohamoud Faraton from ruling Kulmiye party got 39 votes.

Mr. Khalif, who hails from Sool region served several portfolios in the government led by former Somaliland president, Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo.

He headed both Commerce and Works ministries before resigning from the posts to join the opposition in 2015.

Khalif’s challenger, Faratoon was Somaliland's former Foreign Minister.

Saed Mire Giire and Ali Hamud Jibril were elected as Ahmed's first and second deputies.

Somaliland had declared secession from the rest of Somalia in 1990s after the later was accused of staging massacre in the northern region.

Despite holding democratic elections and succeeding to restore peace in its regions, Somaliland failed to secure recognition from international community.

Stakeholders from both southern Somalia and Somaliland had severally met to iron out the decades long difference to determine the fate of the northerners but side failed to reached lasting solution.