Six seats in the lower house elected in Jowhar

Monday January 31, 2022

Six seats in the lower house elected in Jowhar

Mogadishu (HOL) - The Hirshabelle regional government began its election for the federal Lower House of Parliament on Monday, with the first six seats elected in Jowhar.

Three men and three women were elected to sit in Somalia’s incoming parliament.

Yusuf Ibrahim Afrah (Yusuf Kabale) won the HOP-033 seat with 69 votes, while his rival Mohamed Hussein Sabriye received 22 votes.

The second election was more lopsided and controversial. Mohamed Omar Aymoy won seat HOP-005 with 73 votes, while his rival Mohamed Omar Ali, who failed to show up to the polling station, received just 13 votes despite being absent.

Mohamud Mohamed Sesey won seat HOP-098. Seesey was a former member of the Somali parliament, a close ally, and a close political ally of lawmaker Khadijo Mohamed Diriye, who is believed to have played a key role in his return.

Farhiyo Mohamud Dhaqane has won seat HOP-052, while Dahabo Suusow Mohamud won seat HOP-088.

Dahabo won her election without a vote as she ran unopposed.

MP Khadijo Mohamed Diriye, who has been a member of the Somali parliament for 21 years, also won her election. Khadijo has held her seat since 2000 when the Somali parliament was re-established.

Observers and participants told HOL that the election was marred with corruption and inconsistencies. Candidates who were vying for many of the seats said they were left off the ballot and that the MPs who emerged victorious were running against ‘dummy’ candidates with no intention of winning.

Mohamed Abukar Zubeyr, the Director-General at the Ministry of Constitutional Affairs, said that he dropped out of the race because the process was not held in a free and fair manner.

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