Somali Supreme Court upholds Southwest State election results
In a ruling issued Monday, the court said it had considered objections to the electoral process, written submissions and reports from the National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission before determining that the outcome was consistent with Somali law...
Tuesday May 26, 2026
Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s Supreme Court has upheld the results of Southwest State’s House of Representatives election, endorsing the figures released by the electoral commission after reviewing complaints and supporting documents tied to the vote.
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In a ruling issued Monday, the court said it had considered objections to the electoral process, written submissions and reports from the National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission before determining that the outcome was consistent with Somali law and should be formally accepted.
The decision comes amid heightened political tension over Somalia’s electoral process and disputes between political parties, electoral bodies and opposition groups.
Court records show that 132,430 voters participated in the Southwest State election. Of that total, 128,276 ballots were counted as valid, while 4,154 were rejected. The document also confirmed that 298 ballot boxes were deployed across the vote.
In the contest for the House of Representatives, 95 seats were up for grabs among 32 political organizations.
The Justice and Unity Party JSP emerged as the clear front-runner, winning 67,970 votes, or 53% of valid ballots, and taking 51 seats.
Horumar iyo Midnimo Qaran finished in second place with 18,667 votes and 14 seats, followed by Karaamo with 14,708 votes and 11 seats.
Sincad secured six seats, while Tawfiq won four. Smaller parties, including Waabari, Madalsan, Muwadiniinta Soomaaliyeed, Saab, Ramaas and Dhalinyarada Talo Qaran, each claimed one seat.
The ruling removes a major legal hurdle and opens the door to the next phase of Southwest State’s political transition, including the swearing-in of lawmakers and the selection of House leadership.
The Southwest vote has also become part of a wider national argument over Somalia’s move toward one-person, one-vote elections. Federal leaders describe the process as a step toward broader public participation, while opposition figures say the government is pressing ahead without enough political agreement.
