political

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Several Somali political organizations have rejected the National Electoral Commission’s announcement that 20 groups are registered for the December 25 local council elections in the Banadir region, accusing the commission of violating electoral law and operating under political influence. Representatives from the organizations told reporters in Mogadishu on Sunday that five rounds of talks with the National Electoral Commission (NEC) “ended in vain,” arguing the body lacks the independence required to…

MOGADISHU — Several Somali political organizations said they are not part of the 20 groups the National Electoral Commission (NEC) has listed for the December 25 local council elections in Banadir region, alleging violations of electoral law and undue government influence over the process. Representatives of the organizations spoke at a Sunday press conference in Mogadishu, warning that the dispute threatens to derail the first-phase vote in the capital. “Five rounds of talks with the commission ended in vain because there…

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…

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,…

Somalia says it maintains direct contacts with North Western State of Somalia, seeks political solution amid rising Horn of Africa stakes MOGADISHU — Somalia’s government is engaging in direct and regular contact with authorities in North Western State of Somalia and pursuing a negotiated political settlement, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ali Omar Balcad said in an interview published Saturday. Speaking to Doha News, Balcad reaffirmed the federal government’s position that North Western State of Somalia remains part…

Overview: Jack Schlossberg enters New York's 12th Congressional District race Jack Schlossberg, the 32-year-old grandson of President John F. Kennedy, has formally declared his candidacy for New York’s 12th Congressional District in next year’s elections, a campaign that immediately drew attention because of his family name and youth. The district includes high-profile Manhattan locations and is likely to be a closely watched Democratic contest. Schlossberg is the only grandson of former President John F. Kennedy and…

Somalia’s new e‑visa system ignites a storm over money, power and trust The row over Somalia’s newly launched electronic visa system has moved beyond bureaucratic bickering into a full‑blown political and financial controversy, exposing fault lines in a country long divided over sovereignty, economic control and how the diaspora — Somalia’s lifeline — is treated. Accusations, denials and a Facebook post that set it off The controversy began in a blunt Facebook post by Axmed Ismaaciil, the general manager of WorldRemit’s…

Speculations and Political Morality: The Case of George Weah In the era of instant information, where social media platforms act as both news outlets and rumor mills, the case of former Liberian President George Weah has ignited a firestorm of debate. With murmurs circulating about his health and even rumors of his death, the incident raises profound questions about the ethical landscape of Liberian politics and, by extension, the global political arena. Is the political discourse in Liberia suffering from a loss of moral…

North Western State of Somalia, Somalia and the politics of the skies: Why a digital visa is touching a raw nerve Airspace rarely makes front-page news until it does. In the Horn of Africa, where borders are contested and history weighs heavy, the latest salvo isn’t happening on the ground but in the air—and online. North Western State of Somalia’s Minister of the Presidency, Khadar Hussein Abdi, has accused Somalia’s federal government of waging a “war” over air travel and airspace, claiming the aim is to pressure North…

Puntland State’s Quiet Experiment: Local Power, Measured Reform and What It Means for Somalia In a country where headlines often focus on violence, famine and the limits of central governance, Puntland State offers an alternative story — not a miracle, but a pragmatic experiment in balancing security, institutional reform and political negotiation. The autonomous region on Somalia’s northeastern coast has, in recent years, shown that local leadership and slow, deliberate reform can yield tangible results: a shrinking…