Somalia begins counting votes after Mogadishu’s landmark one-person, one-vote poll
Mogadishu — Somalia’s National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission on Thursday night said ballot counting is underway after polls closed across the capital for the Banadir Regional Council elections, the city’s first one-person, one-vote ballot in more than five decades.
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Commission Chairperson Abdikarim Ahmed Hassan told national media that voting ran from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time and proceeded calmly and in an orderly manner across Mogadishu’s 16 districts. “The voting process concluded peacefully this evening, and the counting of ballots will now begin,” he said.
Abdikarim said observers from political organizations, civil society and the international community were accredited to monitor the count alongside party agents. He added that voter participation was strong throughout the day, citing steady turnout by elders, youth, women and political leaders.
The commission pledged transparency during the tally and promised regular public updates as results are compiled. Officials said the process is expected to take a relatively short period, though no precise timeline was given.
Security was led by the Somali Police Force, which the chairperson thanked alongside election workers, national and independent media, voters and other stakeholders he credited with helping deliver what he called a credible vote.
According to the commission, 1,605 candidates contested 390 seats across Mogadishu’s district councils. Once seated, council members will elect the mayor of Mogadishu, a pivotal role for city governance and service delivery in the capital.
Thursday’s vote marked a significant milestone for Somalia’s electoral evolution, bringing direct balloting back to Mogadishu for the first time in more than 50 years. The polls covered all 16 districts of the Banadir region, which encompasses the capital.
Somalia last held direct national elections in 1969, months before a military coup brought Mohamed Siad Barre to power. After the regime’s collapse in 1991 and years of civil conflict, the country adopted an indirect electoral system in 2004 designed to manage clan representation amid insecurity and political fragmentation.
The Mogadishu ballot is widely viewed as a test case for expanding direct elections beyond the capital and, eventually, toward the national level. Analysts say the credibility and efficiency of the counting process—and the acceptance of results—will shape public and political confidence in the model’s broader rollout.
The commission did not report major disruptions during voting hours and said it would release updates as tallies are verified. Political groups and observers urged patience as results are compiled district by district, stressing the importance of procedural integrity in a closely watched exercise.
While preliminary outcomes are expected sooner rather than later, the formal certification of winners for all 390 seats will precede the subsequent vote by council members to select the next mayor. That leadership decision will set the tone for Mogadishu’s administration as the city navigates security, infrastructure and service priorities in the coming year.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
