BAIDOA — Hassan Abdi Nur Aalbaro has been elected as the interim speaker of the third parliament of the Southwest State, officials said.
Lawmakers of the newly inaugurated parliament chose the temporary leadership on the day of their swearing-in, with a permanent speaker expected to be elected in the coming days.
The vote comes amid rising tensions in Baidoa city in multiple directions.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud reiterated that only a direct, one-person, one-vote election would be legitimate in the country.
He noted that key leaders who signed the previous electoral agreement, including Hassan Ali Lafta-Gareen, are bound by that deal.
