Electoral commission delays South West State elections, extends candidate deadline

Wednesday April 29, 2026

Baidoa (AX) — South West State’s elections for the House of Representatives and local councils have been pushed back after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission granted political parties more time to complete candidate submissions.

In a statement released Tuesday, the commission said parties had requested an extension on April 23 to finish the registration process for candidates. It added that it met with party leaders on April 25 at its headquarters to discuss the request.

The electoral body said its assessment concluded that extra time was necessary to safeguard transparency, accountability and adherence to election law.

As part of the revised schedule, the deadline for submitting candidate lists has been moved to May 5, 2026, while the vote that had been set for April 28 is now slated for May 10, 2026.

The commission called on political parties to take advantage of the additional time and complete their lists in accordance with the required procedures.

It also said it would keep working to increase public awareness and participation, underscoring its pledge to deliver a credible and transparent election.

The postponement comes against the backdrop of wider political discussion in Somalia over election timetables and governance, with authorities under growing pressure to organize inclusive and orderly polls.