MOGADISHU — The eighth session of Somalia’s Federal Parliament is expected to formally open today at Villa Hargeysa, where President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud will deliver the constitutionally mandated opening address.

Members of both the House of the People and the Upper House returned to Mogadishu on Friday to attend the opening ceremony and resume parliamentary proceedings.

President Mohamud’s address is expected to outline the country’s current political and security situation, the ongoing military campaign against Al-Shabaab, and the Federal Government’s priorities for the coming months.

Following the opening ceremony, lawmakers are expected to begin the process of appointing an electoral committee tasked with organising the election of the Speaker of the House of the People. The election is expected to take place within a short timeframe.

Competition for the speakership has intensified, with several candidates conducting campaigns to secure the support of members of Parliament.

Separately, reports indicate that President Mohamud may travel to frontline areas following the parliamentary opening to assess military operations being conducted by government forces and local community fighters against Al-Shabaab.