Lawmakers elect former head of Islamic court as new Somali President

January 31, 2009 (ADDIS ABABA) — Somali lawmakers elected the former chief of the Islamic Courts Union as new president of the country in a bid to end the chaotic political instability in the country since more than 18 years.

Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed, 44, has been elected by the Somali parliament during a special session held in Djibouti after three rounds of all night voting on Saturday. The moderate Islamist defeated all the other candidates including the son of the former Somali president Mohamed Siad Barre.

During the first round Sheik Ahmed won the most votes but failed to secure the necessary two thirds of the votes. However during the second round against Maslah Mohamed Siad Barre, Ahmed won more than the needede two thirds of the votes cast.

Ahmed garnered 293 votes out of the 425 members of parliament against Maslah’s 126 votes while six votes were declared invalid by the Election Commission

The election of the new president has been celebrated today in the country by the Somali people who seemed tired from the war and eager to see a new era of peace and stability in Somalia.

Also another moderate group Ahl alsunna Waljama which fought the hardliner Al-Shebab, pledged to support the new president but warned him from any alliance with Al-Shebab.

However the semi-autonomous government of Puntland described the election as illegitimate and said they would not recognize the election. Also the extremists Al-Shebab who control the southern Somalia rejected Ahmed victory and promised to continue the war.

Ahmed has pledged to forge good relations with neighboring countries in the region including Ethiopia whose troops toppled his administration in the south-central Somalia in 2006. He has also pledged a clean government and to work to bring those outside the current peace process on board.

The election of the new Somali president was hailed by the African Union, the Arab League and the United Nations as well as a number of regional and international countries like Ethiopia and United States.

Former president Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed resigned last month following a bitter power struggle, after his attempt to sack and replace the prime minister in defiance of lawmakers failed.

(ST)