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3h ago

Mogadishu Holds First Direct Local Elections Since 1969 Under Tight Security

The vote serves as a disputed pilot for Somalia's shift to nationwide one-person, one-vote elections in 2026.

Women queue to have their biometrics recorded during the voter registration for the forthcoming local government elections, breaking away from the long-standing practice of leaders being chosen by clan elders, in Hamarweyne district of Mogadishu, Somalia April 19, 2025. REUTERS/Feisal Omar/File Photo
Nearly 400,000 voters will be transported in buses to polling stations, says the electoral body
A soldier frisks a voter during the Mogadishu region's local polls
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (R) urged Somalis to 'take the path of democracy'

Overview

  • The ballot filled 390 district council seats with 1,605 candidates, using 523 polling stations for roughly 500,000 registered voters.
  • Authorities deployed about 10,000 security personnel, locked down the city and halted flights at the main airport to secure the polls.
  • Major opposition parties boycotted and labeled the exercise flawed, while Puntland and Jubaland rejected the framework and threatened parallel votes.
  • A 2024 law restored universal suffrage, and a 2025 deal kept the presidency selected by parliament in 2026 even as lawmakers move to direct elections.
  • UN experts say al-Shabab’s attack capability remains strong, the AU mission’s renewed mandate faces funding gaps, and the United States signaled it may end support and recalled its ambassador.