Somalia on Sunday officially launched the distribution of voter cards in the capital Mogadishu ahead of the city’s long-awaited municipal elections, marking a major step in the country’s transition toward direct voting.
The National Independent Electoral Commission said nearly one million registered voters in the Benadir region are expected to take part in the polls.
Commission Chairperson Abdulkarim Ahmed Hassan urged Mogadishu residents to collect their voter cards promptly, noting that preparations are on track despite earlier delays. The municipal elections had originally been scheduled for Oct. 30.
Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, who visited the commission’s headquarters on Sunday, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to implementing a “one person, one vote” system. He said the launch of voter card distribution represents a critical milestone in Somalia’s efforts to strengthen democratic governance and advance local development.
The upcoming vote will be Somalia’s first direct municipal election since 1967.
The country’s most recent national elections in 2022 were held under the long-standing 4.5 power-sharing formula, which allocates parliamentary seats among the four major clans and minority groups.