Puntland parliament sets date for the election of speaker

Puntland Electoral Commission has declared that the regional assembly will conduct election of the parliament speaker on 9th November this year.

In a press release issued on Saturday, the election commission has declared that it will hold the elections on Monday.

This comes less than two weeks after speaker of the Parliament of Puntland Mr. Saciid Hassan Shire resigned a day after Puntland president opened the 36th session of the parliament in Garowe town.

The Speaker has taken this decision after 40 members of Puntland parliament brought motion of no confidence against him.

Said Hassan Shire has been in office since 13th January, 2014 and he became the first speaker to step down.

After announcing his resignation, Puntland lawmakers welcomed the decision of the former Parliament speaker.

They accused the ex-speaker of breaching the constitution and failing to execute his duties.

Puntland, a region in northeastern Somalia, declared itself to be semi-autonomous from Somalia in 1998 as fighting raged through most of the country. Since the region has been calm and had a functioning constitutional government with its own security forces.