Somalia's capital kicks off first direct elections in over five decades

A Somali voter casts his vote at a polling station in Mogadishu, Somalia, Dec. 25, 2025. More than 500,000 voters in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, cast ballots on Thursday in municipal elections widely seen as a key step toward the country's first direct national elections in more than five decades, scheduled for 2026. (Photo by Hassan Bashi/Xinhua)

MOGADISHU, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- More than 500,000 voters in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, cast ballots on Thursday in municipal elections widely seen as a key step toward the country's first direct national elections in more than five decades, scheduled for 2026.

Somalia's National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (NIEBC) said some 1,604 candidates from 20 political parties are running for 390 posts in district councils in Mogadishu, in a vote viewed as crucial to dismantling the country's long-standing clan-based political system.

The vote marks the first direct election held in Mogadishu in decades. According to the electoral body, 523 polling stations across 16 districts opened at 6:00 a.m. local time (0300 GMT) and are due to close at 6:00 p.m. (1500 GMT), with results expected on Friday.

"We are happy to announce that the local council election of the Banadir region officially started in designated polling stations early this morning peacefully," NIEBC Chairman Abdikarim Ahmed Hassan said.

Ahead of the vote, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said the municipal elections are a milestone for the revival of the government and security of the capital, urging registered voters to exercise their constitutional rights.

"This election is a powerful statement to Somalia's recovery and the strengthening of the state institutions, and clear evidence that Mogadishu is secure and stable," Mohamud said in a televised address.

Authorities said extensive security measures were in place amid concerns over possible attacks by al-Shabab militants. Security was visibly tight across the capital, with a curfew imposed overnight to restrict traffic.

Several opposition parties, however, announced a boycott of the vote, alleging electoral fraud.

Voters in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland and the breakaway region of Somaliland are not participating in the elections.

For many residents, the vote carried deep personal significance. "This is a historic opportunity that has never passed me by in my entire life. I am 52 years old, and I have never voted before," Hassan Mohamed Hussein said after casting his vote in Mogadishu's Karan district.

A Somali voter casts her vote at a polling station in Mogadishu, Somalia, Dec. 25, 2025. More than 500,000 voters in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, cast ballots on Thursday in municipal elections widely seen as a key step toward the country's first direct national elections in more than five decades, scheduled for 2026. (Photo by Hassan Bashi/Xinhua)

A Somali voter casts his vote at a polling station in Mogadishu, Somalia, Dec. 25, 2025. More than 500,000 voters in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, cast ballots on Thursday in municipal elections widely seen as a key step toward the country's first direct national elections in more than five decades, scheduled for 2026. (Photo by Hassan Bashi/Xinhua)