(Bloomberg) -- Somalia began swearing in new lawmakers, bringing the long-delayed election of a new president a step closer.
Hundreds of members of parliament and senators took the oath of office at a ceremony held under tight security at Aden Adde International Airport in the capital, Mogadishu.
In the parliamentary elections that began last year, thousands of clan elders chose the 275 MPs for the lower chamber, known as the House of the People. Five state legislatures then elected senators for the upper house. Both houses then appoint the next president.
The legislature will begin work on Saturday, when it's expected to appoint a speaker who will preside over the election of the president.
Somalia is struggling to rebuild its economy after more than two decades of civil war. It failed to hold an election in February 2021, and lawmakers instead extended President Mohamed Abdullahi's mandate.
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