Over 100 journalists trained in Somalia on election coverage, safety and disinformation
Mogadishu — More than 100 Somali journalists have completed specialized training on professional election coverage, journalist safety and countering disinformation, in a program led by the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) and the National Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission of Somalia (NIEBC).
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The two-day training, held Dec. 16-17, 2025, brought together 102 reporters, editors and media practitioners from both private and state outlets in Mogadishu. Participants represented 27 mainstream media houses registered to cover the Banadir regional local council elections.
A central component was direct engagement with the electoral authority. NIEBC briefed the journalists on official electoral guidelines, rules and procedures, explaining how the process is organized and unfolds in practice. Trainers emphasized the standards expected in election reporting, including accuracy, balance and public interest coverage, and how to deliver professional, independent and fair reporting under pressure.
The sessions also addressed the heightened risks media workers face during elections. Facilitators examined the responsibilities of authorities to protect journalists and the steps reporters can take to mitigate threats in the field. Practical modules focused on identifying and countering disinformation and misinformation before, during and after voting — a priority given their impact on public trust, electoral integrity and journalist safety.
NUSOJ Secretary General Omar Faruk Osman called the engagement timely and necessary. “When major newsworthy events are taking place and journalists and media houses are actively geared up to cover them, it is important to strengthen the professional capacity of local journalists, prepare them to safeguard their safety and security and equip them to identify, detect and counter disinformation and misinformation,” he said. He added that journalists must be able to reflect “diverse, and even opposing, views independently and fairly, without fear or interference,” and that access to accurate official information is essential to meeting that responsibility.
In a separate meeting, leaders of NUSOJ and the Somali Media Women Association (SOMWA) met with NIEBC Chairperson Abdikarim Ahmed Hassan to discuss concrete measures to guarantee journalist safety, security and unfettered access to information throughout the election period.
Following that meeting, the NIEBC chairperson — joined by the Somali Federal Police Commissioner and accompanied by his deputy and the Benadir Police Commissioner — announced at a press conference that the safety and security of journalists are “fully guaranteed” and that there will be “unhindered access for journalists throughout the process.”
The collaboration between NUSOJ and the electoral commission underscores the industry’s push to raise standards in Somalia’s election reporting while reinforcing protections for frontline media workers. Organizers said the training aimed to ensure journalists in Mogadishu are better prepared to cover the Banadir regional local council elections with rigor and independence, while minimizing risk and helping the public navigate an environment prone to rumors and falsehoods.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
