Somalia's new Federal Parliament has elected Prof Mohamed Sheikh Osman Jawari, a professional lawyer and MP, as its first speaker in a landmark ballot.

Prof Jawari won the most number of votes Tuesday at an election held at the Scuola Polizia (Police Academy) in Mogadishu, garnering 119 votes from the 236 MPs present in the hall.

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Four other candidates were in the race, with his nearest rival, Dr Ali Khalif Gallayr, a former prime minister of Somalia, picking up 77 votes.

The need for a second round of voting was averted when all four rivals withdrew from contest.

The acting speaker, General (rtd) Muse Hassan, announced Prof Jawari the winner following the results.

Prof Jawari was for many years UNDP Somalia's Senior Constitution Consultant.

He was until July the chairman of the Constitution's Expert Committee that advised the Independent Federal Constitution Committee of Somalia during the drafting of the new provisional constitution.

The next move is the parliament to elect a President for Somalia on a date to be determined by the parliamentary election committee.

The President of the outgoing Transitional Federal Government (TFG), Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, is expected to face challenges from a crowded field of contestants including outgoing premier Abdiweli Mohamed Ali and former speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden.