Postby RebelLion » Sun Jan 04, 2009 12:05 am
For those of you who can't read somali.
MP Abdirashid Mohamed Hersi, from Mudug region, was unanimously elected as Speaker after he became the only candidate for the post.
Mr. Abdirashid Mohamed Hersi, the Puntland Parliament's new Speaker/GO
The former Speaker, MP Ahmed Ali Hashi from Sanaag region, formally declared MP Hersi as the new Speaker of the Puntland Parliament.
Speaking briefly, the new Speaker thanked the MPs who voted for him.
Hersi's ascension to Speaker brings dramatic change to Puntland politics, which has historically been defined by a Speaker from Sanaag.
Local reports indicate that Sanaag MPs in the parliament agreed not to compete for the Speaker's post after pressure was exerted by Gen. Abdullahi Ilkajir, a presidential candidate who hails from Sanaag, arguing that a Speaker from Sanaag would destroy his chance at the presidency.
According to Puntland's political system, power is divided among three major clans, with the presidency historically going to Mudug and Bari regions, the vice-president going to Sool region, and a Speaker from Sanaag.
But Mr. Hersi, the new Speaker, hails from Mudug region, which effectively rules out any presidential candidate from Mudug from winning the Puntland presidency or becoming the region's next VP.
Political insiders say the new shift reflects changes on the ground in Puntland, where Nugal native Abdirahman Farole, the leading opposition figure, is competing to unseat incumbent President Adde Muse, from Bari region.
