GAROWE (SD) – Somalia’s Puntland state has announced its 11 senators to join the 11th Parliament of Somalia ahead of presidential elections.

Voting took place in the state’s capital Garowe town, 1,000km northeast of Mogadishu.

However, virtually all the new senators went through without competition after their opponents pulled out of the race.

Veteran politician Abdirahman Faroole got 54 votes against his opponent Mohamed Olaad who got 11 votes only while Abdiqani Gelleh Mohamed trounced his opponent Abdikar Mohamed Yusuf by garnering 52 votes.

Other elected senators are:

Mohamed Abdi Osman (Majino) who currently serves as Puntland Minister for ports

Abdullahi Ali Hirsi [Tima-adde], Puntland information minister

Abdisamad Yusuf Mohamed, the governor of Bari region

Dahir Ayanle Said, a businessman

Farhan Ali Hussein, re-elected senator

Seynab Ismail Mohamed, Puntland’s deputy minister of environment

Abdiqani Gelle Mohamed, state minister for fisheries in Puntland state

Samira Mohamud Haji

Sareedo Mohamed