Southwest State sets June 10 date for presidential election
Under the timetable released Monday, candidates for speaker and deputy speaker of the Southwest State House of Representatives will begin registering on June 2.
Tuesday June 2, 2026
Baidoa (AX) — Somalia’s Independent National Electoral and Boundaries Commission has set June 10 as the date for Southwest State’s presidential election, laying out a tight sequence of votes that will first determine the regional parliament’s leadership.
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Under the timetable released Monday, candidates for speaker and deputy speaker of the Southwest State House of Representatives will begin registering on June 2.
The commission said the list of contenders for parliamentary leadership will be published on June 3, followed by the election of the speaker and deputy speakers on June 4.
The presidential race will then move into its next phase on June 5, when registration opens for candidates seeking the Southwest State presidency. The process will remain open for two days.
The final slate of presidential hopefuls is due on June 7, and those approved to run are scheduled to present their speeches on June 8.
The commission said the vote for Southwest State president will take place on June 10.
The announcement arrives as political discussion intensifies over the electoral process, including questions about consultation with parties and other stakeholders in Southwest State.
The schedule also follows the swearing-in of newly elected members of the Southwest State House of Representatives in Baidoa, and comes at a time when authorities have stepped up security in the city after recent clashes between federal government forces and fighters loyal to former regional President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen.
Southwest State remains at the heart of broader national tensions over elections, federal authority and Somalia’s slow advance toward a one-person, one-vote system.
