MOGADISHU, Somalia Aug 25 2012 (Garowe Online) – The selection of Speaker of Parliament which was supposed to take place on Sunday has been delayed yet again, until Tuesday, as more candidates for the seat emerge, Garowe Online reports.    

According to local sources, the elections for Speaker were delayed for another two days until Tuesday.

Members of the electoral commission who spoke to Garowe Online said that the vote for Speaker and his deputies could not be done in one day.

According to sources, the delay in swearing in members of parliament hampered the vote for Speaker as some candidates for the position announced their running one day before elections.

The full 275 members of parliament have not all been sworn in as some MPs are still being sworn in despite preparations for Speaker of Parliament.  

There were 254 MPs as of Saturday who were sworn in despite there being some controversy over MPs who were permitted recently. All remaining MPs do not have to be sworn in to decide the Speaker.  

The six candidates for Speaker include former political players like Abdirasak Osman Jurile, Mohamed Sheikh Osman, Ali Khalif Galeyr and Abdi Hashi Abdullahi all of whom are members of parliament.

For First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, there are 9 candidates and three candidates for Second Deputy Speaker.

IGAD released a statement on Saturday where it stated that it was keenly following the political process and expressed anticipation for the elections and the end of the transitional government.

GAROWE ONLINE