The National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (NIEBC) has taken steps to fill vacant seats in the House of the People. In an official statement, the commission announced elections for parliamentary seats HOP#248 and HOP#049, previously held by Saadaq Omar Hassan (Joon) and Mustaf Sheikh Ali (Dhuhulow).
The two lost their seats after being appointed to senior positions in the federal government—Joon as Deputy Director of NISA and Dhuhulow as Director of the Immigration and Citizenship Agency.
The elections for these two seats, which represent constituencies in Dhusamareb, the capital of Galmudug, will be held from the 6th to the 8th of this month, according to the commission’s statement.
Additionally, three more parliamentary seats remain vacant: one formerly held by the newly appointed NISA Director, Abdullahi Mohamed Ali (Sanbaloolshe), and two others left open due to the passing of MPs Khadija Mohamed Diriye and Mahamud Mohamed Seeseey.
This latest move follows a formal request from Speaker of the House Sheikh Aden Madobe on the 25th of last month, urging the electoral commission to expedite the process of filling the vacant seats in Somalia’s legislature.
