MOGADISHU – Somali electoral authorities announced Saturday that voter registration in the capital Mogadishu will begin on April 15, ahead of long-awaited local council elections scheduled for June 30, 2025 — the first such vote in the city in decades.
The move marks a major step toward establishing democratic local governance in Mogadishu, a city that has not held municipal elections since the collapse of the central government in 1991.
The elections are part of a broader agreement reached in 2023 between the federal government and several regional states aimed at transitioning Somalia toward universal suffrage and decentralized governance. However, Puntland and Jubaland — two of Somalia’s federal member states — did not participate in the negotiations that led to the agreement, casting some doubt over its national reach.
The voter registration process will cover all 17 districts of Mogadishu, home to an estimated population of over 2.5 million. Electoral officials said registration centers will be opened across the city and urged residents to participate.
Somalia has for years grappled with political instability, security threats from Al-Shabaab militants, and weak institutions. The announcement of local elections in the capital is being hailed by international partners as a sign of democratic progress.
Despite the optimism, challenges remain. Security concerns, logistical hurdles, and political divisions between the federal government and some regional administrations could impact the process.
Still, authorities are hopeful the Mogadishu vote will serve as a model for future elections in other parts of the country.
“This is not just an election — it’s a message that Somalia is moving forward,” said one election official. “Mogadishu is leading the way.”
