Somalia’s National Electoral Commission has announced that voter registration in Mogadishu will officially begin on April 15, in preparation for local council elections scheduled to take place on June 30, 2025. If successfully implemented, this will mark the first time in decades that residents of the capital will have the opportunity to elect their own local leaders.
The move is part of a broader agreement reached last year between federal authorities and most regional state leaders, aimed at advancing democratic governance across the country. However, leaders from the Puntland and Jubaland regions did not take part in the negotiations that led to the agreement.
Officials emphasize that the upcoming voter registration and local elections represent a significant step in Somalia’s ongoing efforts to establish inclusive, representative local governance structures after years of conflict and centralization.
If the timeline holds, the June elections would represent a major milestone in Somalia’s political transformation, particularly in Mogadishu, where local governance has long been managed through appointments rather than elections.
HBN Online TV