Southwest Parliament re-elects Dr. Ali Said Fiqi as former presidents attend vote
The electoral commission supervising the vote said Dr. Fiqi won with 67 votes, defeating Diini Sheikh Hassan, who received 11. Commission officials reported that two ballots were rejected as invalid. In total, 80 members of parliament took part...
Saturday March 28, 2026
BAIDOA (AX) — Southwest State lawmakers convened in Baidoa on Saturday and re-elected Dr. Ali Said Fiqi as Speaker of the regional parliament, underscoring a fresh attempt to restore stability within the state’s political leadership.
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The electoral commission supervising the vote said Dr. Fiqi won with 67 votes, defeating Diini Sheikh Hassan, who received 11. Commission officials reported that two ballots were rejected as invalid. In total, 80 members of parliament took part in the election.
After the results were announced, Dr. Fiqi called the process legitimate and pushed back against criticism surrounding the poll.
“I thank the election commission, lawmakers and those supporting the election today. The election we entered was a legitimate one. It is an election in which we want our personal opinions not to be forced,” he said.
Alongside the Speaker’s vote, Marwo Shamsa Maxamed Yarow retained her position as Second Deputy Speaker, winning against challenger Jamaala Ahmed Hussen.
The election and swearing-in ceremony for the new House of Representatives drew attendance from several federal lawmakers, including former Speaker of the House of the People Mohamed Mursal Sheikh Abdirahman.
Former Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo said he welcomed the outcome, characterizing it as an important move toward re-establishing institutional legitimacy in Southwest State.
“This step is important for the institutions of the Southwest State to have the legitimacy to carry out their constitutional duties, as their previous term of office has ended. Congratulations to all the members of the 3rd Southwest Parliament and their Speaker who were sworn in today,” Farmaajo said in a statement.
Former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed also extended congratulations to Dr. Fiqi on his re-election.
As of Saturday, federal government leaders had not released an official statement regarding the developments in Baidoa.
Political tensions between the federal government and Southwest State have escalated since Somalia’s federal parliament approved constitutional amendments that extend the mandates of federal institutions from four to five years. Southwest State, Puntland State and Jubbaland, along with several opposition groups, rejected the decision.
The standoff has also been shaped by regional elections. The federal government has said the mandate of the current Southwest administration ended two years ago, while Southwest State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen has accused Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of obstructing regional elections since 2022.