Thousands of voters headed to polling stations Wednesday across Galmudug and Hirshabelle, taking part in direct elections for regional assemblies and local councils in what officials described as another move away from Somalia’s long-established indirect electoral system.
In Hirshabelle, voting was held in Jowhar, Adale, Gerijir, Jalalaqsi, Mahaday, Mataban, Bal’ad, Beledweyne and Warsheekh.
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In Galmudug, ballots were cast in Guriel, Galkayo, Abudwak, Dhusamareb, Balanbale, Harardhere, Hobyo, Harale, Adado, El-Dher, Masagwaa, Wisil and Godinlabe. Reports from several locations said voters formed long queues outside polling stations.
Hirshabelle President Ali Gudlawe Hussein, the Justice and Solidarity Party (JSP) candidate for the state leadership, voted in Jowhar alongside the speaker of the Hirshabelle House of Representatives and other officials.
Gudlawe called the election an important moment for Hirshabelle, saying residents had come out to select the candidates of their choice.
Authorities imposed a curfew in Jowhar and Beledweyne until the evening, citing security measures intended to protect polling stations and support the orderly conduct of the vote.
The Independent National Electoral and Boundaries Commission said thousands of election workers and security personnel had been deployed to oversee the polls.
The Galmudug election was held again after the Supreme Court annulled the results of a July 30 vote, citing administrative and procedural irregularities.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud hailed the elections in Galmudug and Hirshabelle as an important advance for democracy and Somalia’s evolving electoral system.
He said voters in Mudug, Galgaduud, Hiiraan and Middle Shabelle had gone peacefully to polling stations, describing the exercise as a “positive milestone” in the country’s democratic development.
“Today is another day that marks a positive chapter in the history of our country’s democracy and progress,” Hassan Sheikh said, praising citizens who took part in the vote.
The president said the turnout demonstrated citizens’ constitutional right to vote and their contribution to stronger governance, democracy and representation.
He also commended Somali security forces for securing polling stations and helping create a peaceful environment for the elections.
According to Hassan Sheikh, the vote reflected the Somali people’s commitment to inclusive governance, peace and a political process shaped by public choice.
The elections come as Somalia works to widen the use of direct voting, allowing citizens to choose their representatives themselves rather than relying on the indirect system that has shaped national and regional politics for years.
The Justice and Solidarity Party (JSP), led by President Hassan Sheikh, is competing in the elections, while several opposition groups headed by former government leaders have boycotted the process. The party also performed strongly in earlier elections in Mogadishu and South West State.
