Presidential hopefuls make their final appeals to lawmakers ahead of Sunday’s vote

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Presidential candidates in Somalia have concluded their speeches to lawmakers on Thursday.

For two days, 39 presidential hopefuls made their appeals to over 300 lawmakers tasked with electing the next President on Sunday.

Each candidate was allocated 20 minutes to deliver their message.

Many of the electoral front runners made their speeches on Thursday, including the incumbent President Farmajo, two former Presidents – Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Sheikh Sharif, and the current Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni.

Somalia has seen a record number of candidates register of this years presidential election.

Somalia last held an indirect presidential election in February 2017. In 2000, 16 candidates ran for president; in 2004, there were 26 candidates; in 2009, there were 11 candidates; in 2012, there were 22 candidates; and in 2017, there were 21 candidates.