HARGEISA (Somaliguardian) – Somaliland parliament elected an opposition MP and former minister of trade Abdirizak Khalif Ahmed as a new speaker on Tuesday in a move that cements a coalition of two parties’ control of the house, months after they won house majority in parliamentary elections.
Abdirizak Khalif, who is a member of Wadani opposition party won 42 votes against 39 votes for his opponent Yasin Faraton, the breakaway region’s former minister of foreign affairs.
Before the vote, there was a dispute between the opposition parties and politicians of the ruling party. Opposition leaders accused the incumbent president Muse Bihi Abdi of using taxpayers’ money to bribe some opposition MPs to switch allegiance to his party and of using intimidation.
Saeed Mire Farah and Ali Hamud Jibril were elected as the first and second deputy speakers of the self-declared state’s parliament.
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