Somalia has set November 30, 2025, as the date for its first one-person, one-vote local elections in more than five decades — a milestone step toward restoring universal suffrage in the Horn of Africa nation.
The National Electoral and Boundaries Commission (NEBC) confirmed that voting will take place across Mogadishu’s Banadir region, marking a major shift from Somalia’s long-standing clan-based power-sharing model.
Commission chairperson Abdikarim Ahmed Hassan said the polls represent “a new chapter in Somalia’s democratic journey,” urging residents to prepare to cast their ballots. Voter registration, which closed on September 30, recorded close to one million registered voters in the capital region, home to nearly four million people.
The Banadir region — encompassing Mogadishu’s 17 districts — will serve as the pilot for the nationwide rollout of direct elections, which have not been held in Somalia since 1969.
However, the plan faces sharp resistance from opposition figures. The National Salvation Forum (NSF), a Mogadishu-based coalition led by former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, has dismissed the process as “illegal,” alleging it was driven by a unilateral decree and a partisan electoral law drafted under President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
The NSF accuses the government of sidelining rival factions and imposing a new constitution without broad political consensus. The group has called for a national dialogue to ensure inclusivity in future electoral processes.
Despite the disputes, electoral officials insist preparations are on track, with civic education campaigns and logistical coordination underway. Observers say the Banadir vote could serve as a critical test of Somalia’s institutional capacity and political maturity ahead of future national polls.