By Mohamed Abdi - Reporter
Somalia, 12 May 2026 – Somalia’s new Information Minister Abdifitah Qasim Mahmoud said he resigned from parliament to take the cabinet post as required by the new constitution.
The minister made the remarks after taking the oath of office during a meeting of the Standing Committee of the House of the People held in Mogadishu on Monday.
The session was chaired by First Deputy Speaker of the House of the People, Saadiya Yasin Haji Samatar, while the oath was administered by Supreme Court Judge Abdikafaar Hussein Isaaq.
Speaking after the swearing-in ceremony, the minister said he had been given the choice between remaining a member of parliament or serving in the cabinet.
“I directly chose the path of serving in the cabinet and ministerial office, and I said goodbye to my parliamentary seat,” the minister said.
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He described himself as the first minister to formally assume office under the new constitution.
Mohamoud said previous cabinet ministers had not been affected by the new rules because they were appointed before the new constitution came into force.
He said the constitution now provides parliament with stronger oversight powers over cabinet ministers and executive institutions.
The remarks came as Somalia continues political debates over constitutional amendments and electoral reforms approved by parliament, which opposition leaders have criticized over concerns related to governance and the electoral process.
The federal government has defended the reforms as part of broader efforts to strengthen democratic institutions and transition Somalia toward direct elections.