Faith Nyasuguta
Ex-Somali president Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud was on Sunday night re-elected into office following an intense contest with the incumbent Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo.
The win was publicized after three rounds of voting in which he beat his competitor 214 to 110 votes.
The election outcome was a replica of the February 8, 2017 contest in which Mohamoud conceded defeat to Farmaajo, a newcomer at the time.
Both Mohamoud and Farmaajo headed into the third round after beating two other candidates in the second round of voting. Only four contenders had made it to the second round of voting.
Second round results:
Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud – 110
Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo – 83
Saed Abdullahi Deni – 68
Hassan Ali Khaire – 63
In round three, the winner required a simple majority to win.
Mohamoud, who profited from a highly organized campaign and resource mobilization, improved at every round of voting, garnering more votes from the bicameral federal parliament on Sunday.
Some 327 legislators from the eligible 329, voted in the election, according to the Speaker of the House of the People (Lower House) Sheikh Aden Mohamed Nur Madobe.
“Candidate Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo garnered 110 votes while candidate Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud attained 214 votes; 3 votes were spoilt,” announced Speaker Madobe.
With the declaration of his win, Mohamoud was immediately sworn in by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Bashe Yusuf Ahmed.
In a brief speech, Mohamoud vowed to reunite the nation and work with all stakeholders at all levels of the government.
“Let’s work together for the benefit of our people and country,” he told the audience.
The president will now have to contend with a basket full of issues, mostly problems, for the next four years, ranging from insecurity to corruption.
Mohamoud was Somalia’s president between 2012 and 2017.
