Mogadishu, (SONNA) – Voter registration for the upcoming local council elections officially began today in the Shangani district of Mogadishu, marking a historic step toward Somalia’s democratization process.
The initiative, spearheaded by the National Independent Electoral Commission (NIEC), is part of the preparations for the long-awaited local council elections scheduled for June. Speaking at an event in Mogadishu yesterday, NIEC Chairman Abdikarin Ahmed Hassan emphasized that voter registration will begin in earnest today, with Shangani district selected as the launch point.
Mohamed Aamin Hassan Abdullahi, Chair of the Electoral Operations Sub-Committee, stated that Shangani was strategically chosen to initiate the registration process in the Banadir region. He urged residents of the district to come out and register in large numbers.
In a strong message of political will, Mohamed Ahmed Diriye (Yabooh), Deputy Governor of Banadir for Security and Politics, declared that the start of the voter registration process disproves the long-standing claim that elections cannot be held in Somalia.
“This registration that began today puts an end to the narrative that elections cannot take place in the country,” said Yabooh.
For the first time in over 60 years, the Somali people are now on the verge of exercising their constitutional right to elect their local leaders—a milestone widely welcomed across the nation.
