Somali parliament gathers to elect speaker

Mogadishu: Somalia’s new parliament met Tuesday to vote for the powerful position of speaker, a key step in setting up a fresh government for the war-torn country.

The United Nations-backed process, which will culminate in lawmakers choosing the country’s new president, is the latest bid to end two decades of instability in the Horn of Africa nation.

“We are gathered here to appoint a new speaker of parliament,” lawmaker Mustaf Dhuhulow told AFP. “Everything is ready for the process.”

Secret ballots in parliament for the posts of speaker and two deputy speakers have been delayed several times, but the vote is expected to begin Tuesday.