The election was necessitated following the resignation of President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed on 29 December 2008, over the dismissal of the government of Prime MinisterNur Hassan Hussein which was not approved by the Transitional Federal Parliament. As such, the Speaker of ParliamentAdan Mohamed Nuur Madobe shall act as interim President until the Parliament elects a new President based on the Transitional Federal Charter within 30 days. Postponing the election until a new interim parliament, which would likely include moderate Islamist opposition, was considered, but Interim PresidentAden Madobe stated that a new president would be selected within the constitutionally mandated 30-day period. On 11 January 2009 African Union Peace and Security Commissioner Ramtane Lamamra announced that the election would take place on 26 January, with preparations including nominations of candidates commencing on 20 January. Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein announced on 15 January 2009 that he would like to become president. Other official candidates include MP Mohamed Afrah Qanyare, MP Hassan Abshir Farah, Ali Mohammed Ghedi, Ali Khalif Galaid and Mohammed Said Hersi Morgan ; ARS Chairman Sharif Ahmed also stated he was a contender for the presidency. In total, at least sixteen candidates have stated they want to become President; the PM and the ARS chairman are seen as the most likely contenders. Due to difficulties in picking the next president, the deadline was considered to be extended; despite strong pressure from the international community, the original deadline of 28 January 2009 was extended by five days, meaning the election is to be held by 2 February 2009. As planned, the Transitional Federal Parliament was enlarged to include 200 representatives from the Islamist opposition and 75 representatives of citizens' groups and diaspora representatives; the former group was sworn in on 27 January 2009. The 275 existing MPs voted 211 to 6 in favour with 3 abstentions to enlarging the TFP.
Candidates
A total of fourteen candidates formally filed to stand in the election. The candidates were:
Musa Mualim Yusuf, a businessman based in Uganda, has never lived in Somalia
Results
There were three rounds of voting. There would have been less if one candidate garnered more than two thirds of the vote in an earlier round. The first round of voting reduced the field of candidates to six, the second to just two, with the winner decided in a run-off round. As the first round of voting began, several candidates withdrew, increasing the speculation that the vote would largely be a choice between Nur Hassan Hussein and Sharif Sheikh Ahmed. In the first round, Sharif Sheikh Ahmed got 215 votes, Maslah Mohamed Siad 60 and Nur Hassan Hussein 59; Nur Hassan Hussein then withdrew his candidacy, thus likely sealing the election of Sharif Sheikh Ahmed as president. Reportedly, Ali Khalif Galaid also withdrew. All candidates except Maslah Mohamed Siad withdrew after the first round of voting; Sharif Sheikh Ahmed won the run-off with 293 to 126 votes.
