Oman’s Shura Council, in an extraordinary session held on Thursday, elected Khalid al-Maawali as its chairman for the 10th term, securing 58 out of 89 votes. This is al-Maawali’s fourth consecutive time as the Council’s chairman.
Tahir al Junaibi, the representative of Duqm, was elected as the first deputy to the Council’s chairman.
The members also elected Said Al-Saadi, the representative of Suwaiq, as the second deputy to the Council’s chairman, receiving 52 votes in total.
The exceptional session of the Council commenced to primarily elect its chairman and deputies for the tenth term (2023-2027).
Abdullah Al-Kaabi, a representative of Shinas and the eldest member, chaired the session in accordance with Article 17 of the Omani Council Law.
The voting process took place through a confidential e-ballot, with four candidates competing for the council's presidency: Ibrahim Al-Hadi, a representative of Al-Amerat; Ahmed Al-Balushi, a representative of Seeb; Hassan Al-Nabhani, a representative of Jabal Al-Akhdar; and Khaled al-Maawali, a representative of Wadi Al-Maawal.
During the session, a total of 90 members of the Council have taken oath, vowing to be committed, sincere and loyal to the Sultan and the homeland.
“The council aims to always be a reflection of the hopes and aspirations of society, as outlined in the laws and internal regulations of the Omani Council,” said al-Maawali.
“All members of the Shura Council are united and cooperative in achieving the desired objectives,” he added.
Al-Maawali received congratulations from the President of the Kuwaiti National Assembly, Ahmed Al-Saadoun, who praised al-Ma’awali's previous tenure as the chairman of the Consultative Council.
“Continued collaboration between the two parliaments serves the interests of both countries and their fraternal peoples, as well as the issues of the Arab and Islamic nations,” said Al-Saadoun.
It is worth noting that the overall voter turnout in the Oct.29 vote reached 65.88%, making it the second-highest participation rate in Omani elections, following the 2011 Shura Council elections, which had a turnout of 76%.
