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South West state to elect new president November- State Assembly

Storyline:National News
South West state assembly Monday set presidential elections for Nov 17, 2017 when president Sheikh Hassan Adan’s (pictured) term ends. File Photo: Amisom

Presidential elections for South West state will take place November 17 this year, the State Assembly declared Monday as it closed its fourth session today.

The Assembly also passed a crucial constitutional amendment locking out clan elders and delegates from participating in the election of state presidents. The Assembly will now be the sole authority to elect the president.

In a vote Monday, 110 lawmakers endorsed the second presidential election amendment which sought to make parliament the sole elector of the president. Only three expressed a contrary opinion. The current president Shariff Hassan Adan was elected jointly by delegates and elders in 2014 before the Assembly was constituted. Subsequently, the Assembly passed its first amendment locking out delegates and giving powers to the legislators and clan elders.

But in today’s vote, the Assembly unanimously endorsed the first amendment to mirror elections in other states within the country which give their assemblies the mandate to elect the president.

South West state was formed in November 7, 2014 after several political tussles and agreements. Adan was elected president ten days later. It is not clear is Adan will be defending his seat in the new poll.