Sunday August 2, 2026
Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s State Minister for Interior, Federalism and Reconciliation, Saadaq Aliyow, has resigned to enter the race for Speaker of the House of the People, setting the stage for a closely watched parliamentary contest.
Aliyow announced his resignation on Saturday, soon after President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud formally inaugurated the eighth session of the Federal Parliament. He said leaving office was necessary to campaign on equal terms with other candidates.
“I have officially resigned from the position of State Minister for Interior, Federalism and Reconciliation because I am a candidate for Speaker of the House of the People, in order to have an equal opportunity in my campaign and the competition,” Aliyow said.
He said the election of a new Speaker would be Parliament’s first order of business and voiced hope that lawmakers would hold the vote within the period prescribed by law.
Aliyow urged the acting Speaker and parliamentary leaders to safeguard the integrity of the process, saying the election committee must command the confidence of all members of Parliament.
“I hope the election will be conducted fairly, transparently and impartially,” he said.
The departing minister expressed gratitude to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre for allowing him to serve in the federal government for the past three years.
He added that, if lawmakers elect him, he hoped to continue his public service as Speaker of the House of the People.
The contest was triggered by the resignation of former Speaker Sheikh Aden Mohamed Nur Aden Madobe, who left the post after winning election as president of Southwest State.
Lawmakers are expected to select a new Speaker during the eighth parliamentary session. The result could shape Parliament’s approach to major legislation involving constitutional reform, elections, security and governance as political tensions remain elevated.
The Speaker of the House of the People holds one of Somalia’s most senior constitutional positions, overseeing parliamentary proceedings and legislative debate while helping manage relations between the executive and legislative branches.
