Somaliland parliament lawmakers have today elected Mr. Abdirisak Khalif barely two months after the breakaway region held its parliamentary and local elections.
In the first round, Mr. Khalif who was from Waddani Party has garnered 42 votes while his challenger, Yasin Haji Mohamoud Faraton from ruling Kulmiye party got 39 votes.
The results were declared by Somaliland’s Chairman of Supreme Court Adam Haji Ali who chairing the first session of the parliament after the oldest MP Yassin Haji Mohamoud declared his candidacy of the speaker of the House of the Representative.
Mr. Khalif, who hails from Sool region served several portfolios in the government led by former Somaliland president, Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo.
He headed both Commerce and Works ministries before resigning from the posts to join the opposition in 2015.
Mr. Khalid currently serves as the deputy chairperson of the opposition party, Waddani.
Somaliland, a region in northern Somalia has declared its secession from the rest of Somalia in 1990s.
The region has been experiencing relative peace for the last three decades but failed to secure international recognition.
