Somalia’s Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble announced that elections for members of the Lower House will begin next week.
PM Roble stated on Sunday that Somaliland’s breakaway northern region will elect 46 lawmakers.
He stated he had reached an agreement on holding elections with leaders of Somaliland political organizations in Mogadishu – Abdi Hashi Abdullahi, the outgoing Speaker of the Upper House (Senate), and Mahdi Mohamed Guled, the deputy prime minister.
After the indirect election of Somalia’s 275 legislators is finished, they will convene a joint session with the Senate’s 54 members to elect a federal president.
The presidential poll had been scheduled for October 10, but not even the election of senators was concluded. Some 48 senators were elected and six seats remain unfilled – four for Jubbaland state and two for Galmudug.
Although elections to the Lower House (House of the People) have been delayed several times, security has now been beefed up for the polls in all the constituencies.
Personnel from the Somali police force and the police division of the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom) have been deployed in several towns including Beletweyne, Barawe and Dusamareb to maintain peace.
PM Roble exuded confidence that a parliament will be in place to take over the basic functions of government. “I want to witness a new legislative body rapidly formed while I emerge clean in an election that is free from clashes,” he said.