Mogadishu votes: Somalia ends 50-year direct election drought:
This local election serves as a critical
nation.africa/kenya/news/africa/mogadishu-votes-somalia-ends-50-year-direct-election-drought-5307912
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Somalia’s Historic Return to Direct Elections1,605 candidates compete for 390 council seats in Mogadishu’s local vote, a key step before national polls in 2026.
Key FactsDec 25, 2025 · Reading time: ~45 sec.
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: nation.africa
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: nation.africa
- Mogadishu holds municipal elections for the first time since 1969 to initiate nationwide direct voting.
- The new process replaces indirect elections where clan representatives selected lawmakers and the president.
- Candidates vie for 390 district council seats, which will then elect the city’s mayor.
- Despite ongoing security threats from Al-Shabaab, the elections mark progress toward Somalia’s democratic restoration.
It shows Somalia is standing on its feet and moving forward.— Abdishakur Abib Hayir, a member of the National Electoral Commission, discussing the significance of the elections in Mogadishu.
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