Somalia Elects Hassan Sheikh Mohamud Back in Power

Members of the Somali Parliament on Sunday elected former leader Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as the country’s next president.

Hassan Sheikh Mohamud served as Somalia’s president between 2012 and 2017.

The election involving 36 candidates was broadcast live on state TV.

Mohamud polled 165 votes to edge out the incumbent President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed aka Farmaajo.

Farmaajo conceded defeat, and Mohamud was immediately sworn in.

Mohamud, 66, is the leader of the Union for Peace and Development party, which commands a majority of seats in both legislative chambers.

He also is a civic leader and education promoter, including for his role as one of the founders of Mogadishu’s SIMAD University.

Mohamud was born in central Hiran province in 1955.

Prior to the election, Mohamud had said: “Our country has been in electoral darkness for a long time. It’s time to emerge from regressive politics to free and fair elections and change.”