Saeed Hassan is speaker for Puntland parliament

Saeed Hassan Shire the new speaker of Puntland Parliament

Hiiraan Online
Saturday, January 4, 2014

GAROWE, Somalia (HOL) – Puntland’s parliamentarians have on Saturday elected a new speaker just days before they’re due to elect a president for the northeastern Somali region.

Mr. Saeed Hassan Shire garnered 40 votes in the third round, beating his closest challenger Abdirashid Mohamed Hirsi

Mr Hirsi, who was the favorite to win the speakership since he held that same position in last five years, unexpectedly lost to the newcomer Shire.

Five candidates have contested for the speakership in this close election that ran through three rounds. They’re Saeed Hassan Shire, former speaker Abdirashid Mohamed Hirsi, Ahmed Ali Hashi, Abdi Hakim Mohamed Ahmed and Mohamed Ali Guled.

In the first round, two candidates failed to get the required votes to reach the second round. Abdi Hakim Mohamed Ahmed has also failed to reach the final round after he finished at the bottom in the second round

This has let Mr. Saeed Hassan Shire and former speaker Abdirashid Mohamed Hirsi to slug it out in the final round.

Abdi Hamid Sheik Abdi Salam was elected for the deputy speaker position, while Hussein Yassin Dirie was elected as the second deputy.

According to the regional parliament, the new speaker and his deputies will be sworn in sometime in the next few days.

Hiiraan Online English News Desk

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