Several Somali political groups deny being listed on Banadir election candidate list

MOGADISHU — Several Somali political organizations said they are not part of the 20 groups the National Electoral Commission (NEC) has listed for the December 25 local council elections in Banadir region, alleging violations of electoral law and undue government influence over the process.

Representatives of the organizations spoke at a Sunday press conference in Mogadishu, warning that the dispute threatens to derail the first-phase vote in the capital. “Five rounds of talks with the commission ended in vain because there is no independence for the authorities to exercise their powers impartially. Many concessions that the political registered organizations have endured have yielded nothing. It is clear that the commission cannot carry out its work independently,” the groups said.

The organizations accused state actors of misusing national resources during the run-up to the vote and urged the commission to operate free of political pressure. They called on citizens, religious leaders, civil society, politicians, women and youth to intervene constructively to prevent the election from tipping the country into conflict.

The NEC earlier announced that 20 political organizations had formally submitted their candidate lists for the Banadir local council races. Sixty-one groups initially registered to participate. On Nov. 24, the commission extended the submission deadline by two weeks, setting the filing window from Nov. 25 to Dec. 10.

The public rejection by several organizations of their inclusion among the 20 reinforces signs of a broader withdrawal from the Banadir contest. If the boycott holds, the field would be cut to less than one-third of the original registrants, concentrating the races among a much smaller slate of contenders just 10 days before voting day.

The challenge comes as Banadir — which includes Mogadishu — prepares polling logistics and candidate validation for the Dec. 25 local elections. The organizations’ objections center on the commission’s independence, the integrity of candidate registration and the use of state resources, issues that have loomed over Somalia’s election cycles for years.

Beyond appealing to the public and civic leaders, the groups framed their move as a last-ditch effort to avert a political crisis. They argued that the NEC must demonstrate impartiality and transparency to restore confidence in the process and avoid a disputed outcome in Mogadishu, the country’s political and economic hub.

With competing narratives now hardening — the NEC’s list of 20 submitted slates versus organizations disputing their inclusion — the timetable is tight for any remedial steps before ballots are due to be cast. The commission’s prior announcements on submissions and deadlines remain in effect, and the elections are still scheduled for Dec. 25.

• Election date: Dec. 25, 2025, for Banadir (Mogadishu) local council seats
• Initial registrants: 61 political organizations
• NEC-confirmed submissions: 20 organizations with candidate lists on file
• Deadline extension: Nov. 25–Dec. 10 submission window, extended Nov. 24
• Key dispute: Alleged violations of electoral law, claims of government influence and commission’s lack of independence

How the standoff is resolved — and whether more organizations formally rescind their participation or the commission revises its list — will shape the credibility and competitiveness of Mogadishu’s local council vote.

By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.