Somalians cast their ballots Thursday in Mogadishu in the first direct local election in the region in almost 60 years, despite security concerns and a boycott by opposition leaders. The vote is seen as a key test ahead of the 2026 presidential election in a country still grappling with decades of conflict, Islamist insurgency, and frequent natural disasters.
Long queues formed outside polling stations early in the morning, but turnout declined significantly by early afternoon, an AFP correspondent reported. “This is a great day,” said Guhad Ali, 37, showing the ink on his finger marking that he had voted.
Direct voting was abolished after Siad Barre took power in 1969. Since the fall of his government in 1991, Somalia’s political system has been largely clan-based, with limited opportunities for nationwide participation.
The government deployed over 10,000 security personnel across Mogadishu to safeguard the election, and the civil aviation authority temporarily closed the country’s main airport to minimize risks on voting day. While security has improved in the capital, clashes continue just 60 kilometers away, particularly with Al Shabaab fighters linked to Al Qaeda.
According to the electoral commission, more than 1,600 candidates are contesting 390 local council seats in the Banadir region, which encompasses Mogadishu. Many voters expressed pride and enthusiasm at participating. “This is my first time to vote. I am very happy and I came here early in the morning, walking with other mothers,” said Addey Isak Abdi, 65, dressed in a pink veil, speaking to Reuters.
President Hassan Mohamud has promoted the return of direct elections, calling them “the future of the Somali people.” However, the opposition Somali Future coalition boycotted the ballot, arguing that it is a move by the central government to consolidate power in Mogadishu. Former Prime Minister Hassan Ali Kheire, a member of the coalition, warned that the election, orchestrated to extend the president’s mandate, “is not going to be accepted.”
Although Barre’s government ended universal suffrage nearly six decades ago, direct elections have been reintroduced in northern Somaliland, which declared independence in 1991 but remains unrecognised internationally. Puntland, a semi-autonomous northern state, also held direct local elections in 2023 but returned to indirect local and regional voting earlier this year.
The Mogadishu vote had been postponed three times in 2025 before finally taking place on Thursday. Observers see the election as a crucial step toward broader democratic reforms, even as political tensions and security threats continue to challenge the country’s fragile stability.
