Former President of Somalia, Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has on Sunday been duly registered to stand for the country’s presidency in the forth coming elections.
He becomes the first presidential candidate candidate to be registered.
The people of Somalia will go to the polls on May 15.
Born 25 July 1964, Sharif Sheikh Ahmed is served as President of Somalia from 2009 to 2012. He is the founder and leader of Himilo Qaran political party and also the founder and head of the Forum for National Parties of Somalia.
His administration successfully brought the Federal Government of Somalia through transitional status following the collapse of the previous governing administration in 1991.
He is credited for developing Somalia’s constitution and setting up key institutions such as the police, the military and the judiciary.
He established the Somali National Army, opened the main sea port of Mogadishu and relaunched the central bank.
Under Sharif’s leadership, the Transitional Federal Government succeeded in driving out Al Shabaab from the capital city and its surroundings, establishing security, peace and reconciliation through the difficult transitional period.
The May 15 polls signal an end to more than a year of delays in establishing a new government.
The vote in a joint sitting of parliament will be by secret ballot.
More aspirants including including incumbent Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo, another former president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and former Prime Minister Hassan Khaire are also expected to register.
Somalia has never re-elected a sitting President, and all of the last five indirect polls have sprung forth a newcomer. Other contenders in the race include Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni and former Foreign Minister Abdirizak Mohamed.
The electoral programme shows that all approved presidential candidates will address joint sittings of parliament on May 11 and 12.
The electoral day coincides with the Somali Youth Day which marks the formation of the Somali Youth League, the independence-search movement that was launched in 1943.
The election will be held nearly 15 months later than the original date in March last year. The polls were delayed largely because of bickering by stakeholders on how to select delegates and where the polls were to be conducted.
The parliamentary elections were only completed last week.
International pressure, including threats by the International Monetary Fund to suspend the debt review programme, has pushed Somali politicians back into the electoral schedule.
Additional reporting by The East African