Tima Medya

Former ministers elected as speakers of Ethiopia’s bicameral parliament

Former transport minister Ahmed Shide was elected as speaker of the lower house, while former labour minister Muferihat Kamil was elected as speaker of the upper house.

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5 Oct, 2026

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Ethiopia’s lower house, House of Peoples’ Representatives, has unanimously elected Ahmed Shide Mohamed as its speaker, as the country’s seventh parliamentary term gets under way.

Shide, who represents the Chereti constituency in Ethiopia’s Somali Regional State, was sworn in on Monday during the inaugural proceedings of the new parliament in a ceremony attended by President Taye Atske-Selassie.

He most recently served as Ethiopia’s Minister of Transport and Logistics, although he previously held several senior government positions, including Minister of Finance and Minister of Government Communication Affairs.

Before joining the cabinet, Shide spent more than eight years as a state minister at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, where he was involved in Ethiopia’s economic cooperation, regional development and integration agenda.

In 2025, he was recognised among the 100 Reputable Africans, highlighting his profile in African public service and economic policymaking.

The upper chamber, Ethiopia’s House of Federation, elected Muferihat Kamil as speaker, with Desta Ledamo picked as his deputy.

Muferihat most recently served as Minister of Labour and Skills Development, while Desta previously served as Chief Administrator of the Sidama Regional State.

The new parliamentary leadership is expected to oversee the legislative work of the two federal chambers.

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