Somali Constituent Assembly Selects New Speaker, Galaydh Loses

Mogadishu – The new Somali constituent assembly has selected a new speaker, Mohamed Osman Jawari, who won in the second round of voting, defeating the likes of Ali Khalif Galaydh, Abdi Hashi Abdillahi, Abdirashid Mohamed Hiddig, and Hassan Abshir Farah.

The new constituent assembly will now select a new head of a provisional government in Somalia which will replace the expiring transitional federal government. The current head of the transitional federal government, Sheikh Sharif is expected to be selected for the new post.

The selection of a new speaker for the constituent assembly in Somalia came as a blow the to the ambitions of Ali Khalif Galaydh who had hoped to be the new speaker. To his credit, Ali Khalif received 77 votes in the first round, but was soundly defeated in the second round.

The new constituent assembly will be mandated to administer the new constitution to Somalia, and Somalia alone. It has no jurisdiction in Somaliland with its own democratically elected parliament.

Still, just like previous Somali “parliaments”, there are members of this new constituent assembly who originally hail from Somaliland. Exactly, who these people represent is anyone’s guess.

Somaliland welcomes all efforts bring about peace in Somalia which will lead to an improvement in the lives of those displaced and suffering in that country.

Submitted by Qarannews