Three more senators joined their colleagues after winning the senatorial elections held in Southwest State over the weekend.
Southwest had been the second regional state – after Jubaland – to conduct senatorial elections. However, it only held the polls for a few senators.
On Sunday, August 15, the regional state completed its senatorial elections when it held polls for the three remaining Upper House seats.
The first seat went to Hassan Hussein Abdullahi, who serves as Somalia’s Minister of Defence.
Ali Sheikh Mohamud Ga’al won the second seat while Abdiweli Mohamed Ibrahim carried the day in the third Upper House seat.
Now, Southwest becomes the second state in the country – after Puntland – to elect all its 11 senators.
Three women also emerged victorious and will now join the eight men in representing Southwest in the Upper House.