Somali presidential election postponed for fourth time

**Somali President, Hassan Sheikh Mahamoud. [Photo: Villa Somalia]**

Mogadishu-(Puntland Mirror) Somalia’s presidential elections have been postponed for a fourth time, because parliamentary elections have not yet been completed, according to the Somali political leaders.

On Thursday, Somalia’s political leaders say they have agreed to hold presidential elections on Dec. 28 after three delays.

In a statement issued after Somali political front-runners met late Thursday in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, Somali leaders said they expected a new parliament to elect a speaker on Dec. 22 before parliament members elect a president Dec. 28.

A total of 200 lower house members and 43 upper house members have been elected so far. The lower house consists of 275 MPs while the upper house contains of 54 representatives.

The presidential election originally had been scheduled to take place in August, but the Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud’s government recently pushed back that date to November 30, and now to December 28.