Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (NIEBC) has set April 15, 2027, for elections to both chambers of the Federal Parliament and May 15 for the presidential vote, moving ahead with a timetable despite an ongoing dispute between the federal government and opposition groups.
The commission said it had based the schedule on Article 56 of the Federal Constitution, Article 18(2) of the National Electoral Law and Article 2 of the Electoral Law, provisions it said empower the body to determine election dates.
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According to the schedule, voting for the House of the People and the Upper House will take place on April 15, with the presidential election following on May 15.
The NIEBC also stated that the presidential term lasts five years, beginning on the day the president takes the oath of office.
The election roadmap begins with the registration of political organizations and voters on Nov. 1, 2026. That process is expected to continue for 21 days.
Under the timetable, political organizations must submit their lists of candidates for both parliamentary chambers by Nov. 22, 2026.
A provisional voter register is due to be published on Jan. 21, 2027. The publication will allow time for corrections and verification before authorities issue the final list.
Parliamentary campaigning is set to open on Feb. 27, 2027. The final voter register will then be released on March 15, exactly one month before election day.
The commission said the schedule follows sections of the National Electoral Law covering voter registration, candidate submissions, campaign periods and the release of voter lists.
It added that further information on preparations and implementation deadlines would be issued in line with the country’s electoral laws and regulations.
The timetable was released as disagreements continue between the federal government and opposition groups over the electoral process and the mandates of federal institutions.
Puntland State, Jubbaland and several opposition groups have rejected the revised Constitution, arguing that Somalia’s 2012 provisional Constitution should continue to serve as the legal foundation for national elections.
Negotiations between the federal government and opposition representatives, including talks backed by international partners, have not yet resulted in a mutually accepted agreement on the contested electoral framework.
The commission’s announcement consequently establishes dates for Somalia’s next parliamentary and presidential elections while major political differences over the conduct and legal basis of the vote remain unresolved.
