Four candidates were elected to the House of the People in Galmudug and HirShabelle today as electoral bodies in the two states prepared to conclude the electoral process.
 
Three of the four candidates were elected in the Galmudug capital of Cadaado as voting resumed there after a two-day break. The outcome of the exercise in the state capitals on Tuesday leaves HirShabelle with two seats to fill out of 38 while Galmudug needs to conduct voting for three more seats out of 36 to finish the exercise.
 
Those elected in Cadaado included Abdihakim Maalim Ahmed, Galmudug’s Minister of Transport and Aviation, and Nadifo Farah Jama, a first-time member of parliament (MP) who won a seat reserved for exclusively women candidates. Incumbent MP Dahir Amin Jeesow won the only seat that was at stake in today’s balloting in the HirShabelle interim capital of Jowhar.
 
Speaking after his election, MP-elect Ahmed expressed his appreciation to Galmudug authorities and electoral implementation bodies for organizing what he called a free and fair electoral process.
 
“I hope to serve the people because this has been a long journey. I thank those who took part in this election, those who voted for me and those who did not,” he stated.
 
The eighth woman to be elected to the House of the People from Galmudug state, Ms. Jama promised to serve all Somalis, noting that her role as an elected member of parliament transcends the clan she represents.
 
“This is now a seat for all, a seat for the clan, the region and the country. I will deliver services to the people in a fair and just manner,” she said.
 
The spokesman of the HirShabelle State-Level Indirect Electoral Implementation Team, Osman Bareey, said he was optimistic that voting to fill the state’s remaining two seats in the House of the People will take place peacefully.