Hirshabelle State in Somalia has sworn in 99 members of its parliament following direct elections held on September 30, 2026, marking a significant development in the country’s transition towards a system in which citizens directly choose their political representatives.
The lawmakers took their oaths of office in a ceremony held in Jowhar on Tuesday, October 20, attended by representatives of Somalia’s Independent National Electoral and Boundaries Commission.
The newly sworn-in legislators were elected under the one-person, one-vote system, which allows eligible citizens to cast ballots directly for their preferred representatives rather than relying on indirect electoral arrangements.
According to the electoral commission, the exercise marked the first time Hirshabelle had elected its parliamentarians through a direct voting system.
The swearing-in ceremony represents a further stage in the establishment of the regional state’s legislature following the September elections. The 99-member parliament is expected to proceed with the remaining institutional and procedural steps required to begin its work.
The development comes as Somalia continues to pursue changes to its electoral arrangements, with direct voting forming a central part of efforts to expand citizens’ participation in selecting their representatives.
However, the swearing-in of the Hirshabelle lawmakers is one stage in that process, and further procedures are expected before the state parliament fully commences its activities.
The electoral commission’s participation in the ceremony underscored its role in the process, which began with the direct elections held in late September.
The new parliament’s formation now provides Hirshabelle with a legislature whose members were chosen through the one-person, one-vote system, a departure from the indirect model that has featured prominently in Somalia’s previous electoral processes.