Five more members of the federal parliament’s House of the People were elected in Kismaayo today, including one woman, on the sixth day of voting in Jubbaland state.

The total number of members of parliament (MPs) elected in the state now stands at 37 out of an allocation of 43 seats.

“This is a new dawn for Somalia,” said MP-elect Sahra Haji Ali after she was declared the winner in a contest reserved exclusively for women.

“I want to focus my efforts on building hospitals, improving maternal healthcare, fixing bad roads, and ensuring hungry people get food and water,” added Ms. Ali.

In Garowe, the administrative capital of Puntland, only one MP was elected during the voting held yesterday evening. That brought the total number of MPs-elect in Puntland to 19 out of 37 seats assigned to the state in the House of the People.

Somalia’s federal Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Ali Ahmed Jama Jangeli won the seat, beating three opponents.

“It was a tough race. This is because the candidates who were contesting for this seat are political heavyweights,” noted Said Jama Korshel, a member of the Puntland State-Level Indirect Electoral Implementation Team (SIEIT).

Voting for the remaining 18 seats will be held later this month, according to Puntland SIEIT members.

In Cadaado, the interim administrative capital of Galmudug state, two members of the House of the People were elected on Sunday evening.

“I want to specifically thank the 51 delegates who took part in the voting process,” said federal MP Abdi Shire Jama after he was reelected to another term in parliament. “You have entrusted me with such a big responsibility. I want to tell you that you won’t regret this decision. I promise to deliver services.”

Duniya Mohamed Ali became the first female MP to be elected to the House of the People from Galmudug state after her sole opponent withdrew from the race.

Voting for House of the People seats has gone slowly in Galmudug, with only five seats having been decided thus far out of an allocation of 36 seats.