The new members of the Galmudug State Parliament have been sworn in. Mohamed Sheikh Ahmed has assumed interim leadership of the parliament, as he is the oldest member of the 89-seat assembly.
Mohamed Sheikh Ahmed will hold this position on a temporary basis until the permanent parliamentary leadership is elected. According to the election schedule, the election of the Speaker and his deputies is set for October 18, while the election of the President and Vice President of Galmudug is slated for October 22, 2026.
The new parliament was elected on September 30, 2026, following the Supreme Court’s annulment of the previous election held on July 30. The Court ruled that the earlier process failed to follow constitutional procedures and the requirements necessary for a free and fair election.
However, this repeat election has also sparked political controversy, as the National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission excluded the Towfiiq party—the very party that had originally filed the legal challenge leading to the annulment of the previous election. The election results have delivered a major victory for the Justice and Unity Party (JSP), which secured 67 out of the 89 parliamentary seats, thereby strengthening the political power of the ruling party.
Following the election of the official parliamentary leadership, the next step will be the election of the top leadership for Galmudug. The JSP has nominated a single candidate for the presidency—Liban Ahmed Hassan—who is expected to secure the support of the parliamentary majority.
Nevertheless, the new electoral process continues to face questions regarding transparency, political participation, and inter-party competition—most notably due to the controversy surrounding the exclusion of the Towfiq Party.
