Former president returns to HirShabelle as MPs pick new speaker

JOWHAR, Somalia - Former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed returned to Johwar, the regional administrative capital of Hirshabelle on Wednesday as the state prepares for local elections, which will define the leadership for the next four years according to the provisional constitution.

Hirshabelle lawmakers picked Abdihakim Luqman as a new speaker on Wednesday in an election that has attracted interests from both the opposition and the Federal Government of Somalia. Last week, the regional assembly was formed and the MPs will elect a new president this month.

Mohamed Abdi Waare resigned as the president early this week, a month after his term came to an end. He had been fronted by Villa Somalia, which is keen to call shots in all states, despite resistance from the opposition, particularly the Forum for National Parties.

Last week, Sharif Sheikh Ahmed visited Johwar where he is believed to have mobilised his team ahead of the crucial elections. The opposition leader who has declared interest in the presidency is keen to consolidate support across the country ahead of February elections.

Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, sources said, is pushing for the region's cohesive communities to take part in the formation of the new Hirshabele administration. The ex-president is a native of that region and served as Somalia's president from 2009 to 2012.

It's during his administration that Al-Shabaab militants were flushed out of Mogadishu, the Somali capital. But in recent weeks, reports indicate that the militants are gaining grounds in the capital, but President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo has refuted such claims before.

After the election of the president of the state, regional MPs will pick senators to represent them in the Federal Government in December. Thereafter, elections of legislators who will represent the region at the national level will also be done before the presidential polls in February 2021.

GAROWE ONLINE