Voter registration to kick off in Mogadishu despite disagreements in Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia - President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is not keen on political dialogue in Somalia, following his decision to usher in a voter registration exercise in the country, despite disagreements with several federal states.

With the National Consultative Council (NCC) meeting scheduled for May 2025, the electoral officials have announced that voter registration will start in Mogadishu on April 15 with a view to holding local council elections in the capital on June 30, 2025.

If implemented it will be the first time in decades that Mogadishu’s residents elect their local leaders. The direct voting model has, however, been successfully implemented in Puntland state after several local councils were elected by the people.

The impending voter registration exercise is in line with the agreement reached last year by federal and regional leaders though the leaders of two regions - Puntland and Jubaland did not participate in the talks that led to the agreement.

Sources say President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and organizers of the NCC meeting have reached out to Hirshabelle, Galmudug, and Southwest state leaders with invitations also done to Jubaland and Puntland — even though it is not clear if they will attend after all.

Last year, Somalia’s federal and regional leaders delayed the schedule for popular elections until next year. The delay was approved even in the absence of the Jubaland and Puntland delegations who accused the federal leadership of imposing the universal suffrage model without adequate consultations.

According to the agreement, direct local elections should take place in June 2025, followed by the regional parliamentary and leadership elections in September 2025 — but there are pending issues including resistance from Puntland and Jubaland which insist that the law must be adhered to.

The original schedule was June 2024 for local elections and November 2024 for parliamentary and regional leadership elections. The agreement followed after weeks-long discussions in Mogadishu — but in the absence of Said Abdullahi Deni (Puntland) and Ahmed Islam Mohamed Madobe (Jubaland).

GAROWE ONLINE