Controversial local elections set to take place in Somalia’s capital
Residents of Somalia’s capital are set to vote Thursday in a controversial local election that marks the country’s first-ever one-person, one-vote poll since 1969, reports BritPanorama.
The voting for local council members, to take place across Mogadishu’s 16 districts, has been organized by the country’s federal government but rejected by opposition parties, which have called the election flawed and one-sided.
Historically, Somalia has selected its local council members and parliamentarians through clan-based negotiations, where leaders elect a president. Since 2016, various administrations have pledged to reintroduce one-person, one-vote elections, but insecurity and disputes between the government and opposition have delayed this process.
This election represents the first major voting initiative overseen by the National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, with up to 20 political parties fielding candidates.
Notably, the election will not influence the mayor of Mogadishu, who also serves as the governor of the central Banadir region. That position remains appointed due to an unresolved constitutional status, a situation complicated further by deepening political rifts between President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and the leaders of Jubaland and Puntland over constitutional reforms.
The central region has over 900,000 voters registered across 523 polling stations, according to the electoral commission. However, the country faces significant security challenges, with the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab militant group frequently executing deadly attacks in the capital.
In anticipation of local elections, security in Mogadishu has been heightened. Analysts suggest that the forthcoming vote signifies a significant shift away from Somalia’s enduring clan-based power-sharing system.
Mohamed Husein Gaas, founding director of the Raad Peace Research Institute, noted, “Mogadishu has demonstrated that local elections are technically feasible.” He emphasized that by proceeding with the vote, the federal government is empowering citizens, enhancing accountability, and moving towards a more inclusive state.
Gaas further highlighted that plans for direct elections to federal member states and at the national level represent a phased effort to achieve a balance among security, political inclusion, and development. “The process signals a commitment to building a durable Somali state grounded in democracy, public trust, national cohesion, and long-term stability,” he remarked.
Conversely, opposition parties contend that dismissing negotiated, clan-based arrangements without consensus could jeopardize Somalia’s delicate federal settlement. The elections, which have faced three postponements this year, have sparked considerable criticism from opposition leaders, who accuse the government of using the electoral process to solidify power and potentially extend the president’s term, scheduled to end in 2026 — an allegation that authorities have firmly denied.
As tensions heighten around this historic event, the implications for Somalia’s political landscape remain uncertain, and the question of genuine democratic progress hangs precariously in the balance.
