Saturday May 2, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has rejected Mayor Hassan Mohamed Hussein Muungaab’s move to dismiss district commissioners in parts of the capital, saying the decision has no legal basis. In a statement, the commission said the Banadir Region’s local councils were duly elected in the December 25, 2025 polls and formally took office on April 2, 2026, after being sworn in. The electoral body said the Federal Constitution and the National Electoral Law…

Sunday April 26, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s trade minister, Jamal Mohamed Hassan, has accused Puntland State security forces of firing on civilians in Badhan, in the Sanaag region, during unrest tied to a planned visit by Puntland State President Said Abdullahi Deni. In a statement, Jamal denounced what he called “unacceptable” violence, saying troops used live ammunition against residents who had opposed Deni’s trip to the town earlier this week. No deaths or injuries have been officially confirmed. “The act of…

Monday March 23, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — A fresh rupture in Somalia’s fragile federal balance erupted in Bakool on Monday after Southwest State’s interior minister abruptly dissolved the Hudur district administration, sharpening an already tense standoff between Baidoa and Mogadishu over who holds legitimate authority at the local level and how elections should be managed. Southwest State’s Minister of Interior, Local Government and Reconciliation, Mohamed Isaq Osman Fanah, announced the dissolution in a letter dated March 21,…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Lawmakers representing the Buurhakaba constituency have accused Ethiopian troops serving under the African Union mission in Somalia of meddling in local politics in Southwest State, alleging pressure on district officials and a failure to prioritize security in a volatile area. In a letter dated February 27, 2026, and addressed to the Chairperson of the African Union, three federal MPs — Saadad Mohamed Nur Aliyow, Fowsiyo Mohamed Sheikh, and Mohamed Ali Hassan — said Ethiopian forces operating in Sector…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali National Army Danab special forces killed 15 al-Shabab militants and captured eight others in a targeted raid late Saturday in Jilib district, a long-held stronghold of the extremist group in southern Somalia, the Defense Ministry said. The overnight operation zeroed in on militant positions inside the strategic town, part of a continuing campaign to degrade al-Shabab’s leadership, logistics and capacity to launch attacks. Casualties: 15 militants killed, eight captured, according to the Defense…

MOGADISHU — The Somali Electoral Commission said Monday that a dozen political organizations have submitted candidate lists for the December 25 district elections in the Banadir region, marking a significant step toward the first such vote held in the capital in more than 50 years. Commission Chairman Abdikarin Ahmed Hassan told reporters in Mogadishu that the 12 organizations have collectively put forward hundreds of names toward the required slate of 390 candidates per party. Some groups have completed their submissions,…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s Independent National Electoral Commission on Thursday issued a formal warning to district administrations across the Banadir region, ordering them to ensure an open campaign environment and unhindered distribution of voter cards as the election period intensifies in Mogadishu and its surrounding districts. In a directive circulated to local officials, the Commission said political organizations and candidates are legally entitled to campaign without interference, and citizens must be able to…

Galmudug rejects move by president’s party to set up district offices

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Police in the Somali capital arrested a woman Thursday on suspicion of fatally stabbing her husband in the city’s Dayniile district, according to the Banadir Regional Police Command. The suspect, identified as Fadumo Mohamed Osman, was taken into custody shortly after the killing of her husband, Hassan Mohamed Nur. Authorities said Nur died of severe injuries sustained in a knife attack allegedly carried out by his wife. The police command said investigators are working to determine the motive and…

Somalia’s Donor Dollars Meet Local Politics: Hirshabelle’s District Choice Reopens Old Debates In Somalia’s Hirshabelle state, a seemingly technical decision — which district gets the next round of donor-backed support — has turned into a small window on a much larger question: who gets to be seen, heard, and funded in a federal system still finding its feet. The controversy touches the Somalia Recurrent Cost & Reform Financing (RCRF) Phase III program, an internationally funded effort, implemented by the Federal…