Mogadishu (Somalia Today) — Somalia’s electoral commission on Tuesday set November 30 as the new date for Mogadishu’s first direct local elections in more than five decades. The landmark “one-person, one-vote” polls are a key pillar of the government’s reform agenda but face stiff opposition from some federal states and political rivals.
The announcement by the National Independent Electoral Commission (NIEC) confirmed a delay from an earlier plan to hold the vote in October. NIEC Chairman Abdirkarim Ahmed Ali said the new schedule would allow recently registered political parties more time to prepare and finalize their legal requirements.
Somalia has not held a one-person, one-vote election since 1969, when Mohamed Siad Barre seized power in a coup. For decades, the country has used an indirect, clan-based system to choose leaders.
The push for universal suffrage is central to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s efforts to stabilize the nation, according to the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia.
‘A major success’Â
Speaking to reporters in the capital, Ali urged residents to prepare for the historic vote in the capital’s Banadir region.
“On November 30, everyone living in Mogadishu must be ready to cast their vote in the one-person, one-vote Local Council election,” the chairman said.
He framed a recent voter registration drive as a major success, stating that nearly one million people had registered in Mogadishu alone. This figure indicates significant public interest in moving away from the complex clan-based power-sharing model.
The commission has also called on all provisionally registered political associations to submit their official party symbols and complete all legal steps to appear on the ballot.
The delay was partly caused by the need to accommodate new parties, some formed by politicians who recently broke from an opposition coalition to join the president’s government, an official familiar with the process said on condition of anonymity.
President Mohamud’s federal government has championed the move to direct elections as a critical step toward full democracy and stabilization after decades of conflict. The plan eventually aims to expand the model to federal and presidential elections.
Political opposition
However, the initiative is deeply contentious and has been rejected by several powerful political actors, threatening to deepen the country’s political fractures.
The leaders of Puntland and Jubaland, two of Somalia’s semi-autonomous federal member states, have opposed the electoral process.
Puntland has refused to recognize the federal government since disputed constitutional changes in early 2024, and Jubaland has clashed with Mogadishu over electoral authority. They argue it is being pushed through without a broad consensus on constitutional questions and the distribution of power between the central government and the states.
A coalition of opposition politicians known as the National Salvation Forum has also strongly opposed the government’s approach. The Forum says it supports a credible transition but accuses the government of pushing timelines without sufficient consensus.
Talks between President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and opposition leaders have repeatedly stalled. The NIEC said it has invited all registered associations to observe and compete in Banadir once they meet legal thresholds.
Security and logistics remain key risks. The capital has improved its layered security since 2023, but any high-turnout urban vote requires extensive coordination across policing, polling-site management, and transport.
International partners have urged Somali authorities to sequence reforms carefully and keep channels open with dissenting regional leaders to avoid a new confrontation that could undermine progress.
Officials in Puntland and representatives of the opposition forum did not immediately respond to requests for comment sent via email on Tuesday afternoon.
If Mogadishu’s vote runs smoothly, officials say it will build confidence for municipal polls elsewhere. Much will depend on whether the November 30 exercise delivers credible results and narrows the country’s political rifts.
