Somali MPs prepare to elect new speaker on Monday

[Deeq A.]

Somalia’s Lower House Parliament is scheduled on Monday to hold the election of the speaker.

The former speaker Mohamed Osman Jawari resigned from the office three weeks ago after an impeachment motion against him sharply divided Somalia’s lawmakers and nearly ended open violence.

The chairperson of parliamentary Elections Committee, Nuur Idow Beileh told the media that the election of the speaker will be held today at the Parliament building.

The government has deployed hundreds of security forces around parliament and at some of major streets of the capital to beef up the security during election of the Parliament speaker.

In the past 24 hours, lawmakers lobbying for different candidates have been holding meetings in different hotels in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu.

According to sources, there are reports accusing Somali cabinet of interfering in House Business by backing the candidates vying for the post.

The sizable number of the lawmakers are from the cabinet ministers.

Source: Hol