Somalia’s Election Commission Confirms 20 Political Organizations for Banadir Local Council Elections

MOGADISHU — The Somali National Electoral Commission said Thursday night that 20 political organizations have formally submitted candidate lists for the Banadir local council elections scheduled for December 25, closing the candidate registration phase for the Mogadishu-area vote.

In a statement, the commission confirmed that candidate registration has concluded, capping a two-week extension granted last month to give parties more time to finalize their slates. A total of 61 political organizations registered earlier this year to compete, but only 20 ultimately filed candidate lists for the Banadir councils.

The submission window opened November 25 and closed Wednesday, December 10, after the commission extended the deadline on November 24. The electoral body said participation increased steadily in the final days before the cutoff.

“We officially announce that the process of compiling the candidate lists for political organizations has been completed. The number of participating organizations initially stood at 12, then increased to 18, and finally concluded with 20 political organizations that successfully submitted their candidate lists for the Banadir local council elections,” the commission said.

The development means a majority of groups that registered to seek seats in Banadir will not appear on the ballot later this month, either withdrawing or failing to submit slates by the deadline. The commission did not provide further details about the organizations that did not complete the process.

The Banadir local council elections are set to take place on December 25 in Mogadishu. With candidate lists finalized, the electoral timeline now moves toward ballot preparation and election-day logistics overseen by the commission.

Key dates for the Banadir local council election process:

• November 24: Deadline for submitting candidate lists extended by two weeks.
• November 25: Submission period officially opened.
• December 10 (Wednesday): Submission period closed.
• December 11 (Thursday night): Commission announced the close of candidate registration and confirmed 20 participating organizations.
• December 25: Election day in Mogadishu.

The commission’s confirmation brings clarity to the field after weeks of uncertainty over how many organizations would ultimately qualify. The narrower slate is expected to streamline the ballot and could shape campaign dynamics in the run-up to the vote.

Officials emphasized that with the candidate compilation completed, procedures now shift fully to election preparation within Banadir. No additional candidate lists will be accepted, the commission said.

The list of the 20 political organizations set to contest the Banadir local council elections was not included in the commission’s statement carried Thursday night. The electoral body said the compilation was complete and the organizations were cleared to participate in the December 25 polls.

By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.

Saturday December 13, 2025