MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali security agencies say nearly 10,000 police officers have been mobilized to secure Mogadishu’s local council elections on Dec. 25, a vote billed as the capital’s first direct, one-person, one-vote poll in more than 50 years.
Speaking to reporters Sunday, Internal Security Minister Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail (Farataag) said the Somali Police Force has finalized a citywide security plan to safeguard voters, polling stations, election workers and critical infrastructure throughout the Banadir region.
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“The Somali Police are ready and capable of securing the elections. All necessary preparations have been completed,” Farataag said, adding that the priority is protecting civilians, poll sites and electoral staff to ensure the vote proceeds peacefully, safely and fairly.
Authorities said officers will be deployed across the capital in layered rings of security, with patrols intensified around polling centers and key intersections. Intelligence sharing has been strengthened and checkpoints reinforced in anticipation of attempts by armed groups to disrupt the process, officials said.
The high-security posture underscores the stakes attached to the Dec. 25 vote, seen by election organizers as a landmark in Mogadishu’s democratic trajectory after decades of conflict and indirect, clan-based power sharing. The local council elections are intended to broaden participation at the grassroots level and test systems designed to deliver a direct ballot under Somali law.
The National Independent Electoral Commission (NIEC) said nearly 5,000 election workers will staff polling stations throughout Banadir on voting day. Commission chairman Abdikarim Ahmed Hassan said the workforce—largely young Somalis—has undergone extensive training in election administration, voter rights, polling procedures and staff responsibilities to uphold transparency and credibility.
“The Banadir election is of particular importance and can play a significant role in Somalia’s democratic trajectory,” Abdikarim said, describing election staff as a backbone of public trust in the process.
Security officials did not detail specific restrictions or movement advisories for election day but said coordination cells linking police, intelligence and administrative authorities will remain active before, during and after voting to respond quickly to incidents and keep polling on schedule.
In recent days, security patrols were stepped up in areas surrounding anticipated high-turnout neighborhoods and along arteries connecting storage sites, tally centers and polling locations, according to officials. Police units assigned to safeguard sensitive infrastructure will also be on standby to escort election materials and personnel as needed.
Organizers said the emphasis on training and layered security is meant to reduce bottlenecks at polling sites, protect election workers and voters, and help ensure a count that can be audited and verified under national regulations. Authorities urged residents to follow official guidance and to report suspicious activity to security hotlines.
Election officials said they will release additional operational details, including poll opening times and site-specific instructions, ahead of Wednesday’s vote.
As Mogadishu prepares for its first direct local ballot in more than half a century, officials framed the visible security presence as integral to building confidence—both at home and among international partners—that the city can run a peaceful, inclusive and credible election.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
