Somalia has a new president. On Wednesday, parliament elected Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed in the second round of voting. He beat the incumbent 184 votes to 97, but the way ahead looks anything but easy.
Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed took the oath of office Wednesday, soon after his victory was announced.
In a short speech, the new president said, “This victory belongs to the people of Somalia. This victory is the start of building a united, peaceful and stable Somalia . This is the beginning of democracy and fighting corruption.”
Outgoing president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, won praise for how he conceded defeat Wednesday and wished his successor well.
But the country is far from its aim of holding nationwide one-man, one-vote elections. Security is the main challenge. Parliament members had to be elected last year by clan leaders and regional representatives, VOA reported.
Allegations of widespread vote buying overshadowed the electoral process, including the presidential race.
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