By Zamzam Daqarre - Reporter
MOGADISHU, 17 October 2026 The 89 newly elected members of Galmudug State's House of Representatives have been sworn in following elections conducted under a one-person one-vote system.
The figure was confirmed by Abdikarim Ahmed Hassan, Chairman of Somalia's National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (NIEBC), speaking at the swearing-in ceremony on Friday.
Hassan described the election of the lawmakers as a historic step reflecting Somalia's progress towards implementing direct public elections.
He said the new lawmakers, including many young men and women, had been elected through a competitive process involving political organisations rather than selected through previous arrangements based on traditional elders and political agreements.
Hassan said nearly 200,000 people had cast their votes in Galmudug's elections, which he noted had been repeated twice, with candidates conducting campaigns to seek public support.
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The commission chairman urged the newly elected lawmakers to serve their communities with integrity and demonstrate commitment and accountability over the next five years.
He also thanked the former Speaker of Galmudug's House of Representatives, Dr. Mohamed Nur Gacal, praising his contribution to the assembly's work and the leadership transition.
He noted that the previous lawmakers had been elected under difficult security conditions, while the new members were sworn in at a facility he described as reflecting progress in developing Galmudug's institutions.
Hassan said Mohamed Sheikh Ahmed Moallim, the oldest member of the newly elected 89-member assembly, had been designated to serve as interim speaker and oversee preparations for the election of the new parliamentary speaker and deputy speakers.