Electoral commission rejects Mogadishu mayor’s dismissal of district commissioners

Saturday May 2, 2026

Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has rejected Mayor Hassan Mohamed Hussein Muungaab’s move to dismiss district commissioners in parts of the capital, saying the decision has no legal basis.

In a statement, the commission said the Banadir Region’s local councils were duly elected in the December 25, 2025 polls and formally took office on April 2, 2026, after being sworn in.

The electoral body said the Federal Constitution and the National Electoral Law give elected local councils, not the mayor’s office, the power to choose district commissioners and their deputies. It also noted that the current district administrations are temporary bodies meant only to oversee the transfer of authority.

“Any administrative action that contradicts the Constitution and the Electoral Law is illegal and cannot alter the system for establishing district administrations in Banadir Region,” the commission said.

The row came after the mayor reportedly removed commissioners in Deyniile, Shangaani, and Gubadley districts.

The dispute unfolds against the backdrop of Somalia’s push toward universal suffrage. Earlier this year, 390 members of the newly elected Banadir Regional Council were sworn in, having been chosen across Mogadishu’s 16 districts to represent 20 political parties in a notable break from the country’s long-running clan-based voting model.

The commission’s position highlights rising friction over how Somalia’s new electoral system is being put into practice and who holds authority in local government during the country’s political transition.