Somalia is on the brink of making history towards conducting an election after about 56 years.
This comes after President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud officially registered as a voter for the country's planned 2026 one-person, one-vote election, in a symbolic move underscoring his administration's commitment to shifting away from the clan-based 4.5 electoral model.
The last voter registration in the country and subsequent election took place in 1969.
President Mohamud’s and First Lady Saro Omar Hassan’s registration marked their support for the new electoral framework that is expected to culminate in local and presidential elections slated for May 2026.
Mohamud who chairs the ruling Justice and Prosperity Party has been a vocal proponent of direct elections, repeatedly stating that the current system has run its course and that Somalis deserve the right to elect their leaders through a democratic and inclusive process.
The move however comes amid rising political temperatures with critics questioning how the election will be conducted.
Two days after President Mohamud’s registration, Mogadishu’s Police Commissioner, Moallim Mahdi, also stepped forward and registered as a voter.
While assuring residents that security will be maintained throughout Somalia’s historic political season, as the country transitions towards its first direct local elections in over five decades, the commissioner described the moment as deeply symbolic, not just for himself, but for the entire country.
Mahdi spoke on Friday night after registering.
“Receiving my voter registration here tonight is a powerful symbol for me,” he said. “It represents the peace and positive change the country is experiencing.”
Long known for its security challenges associated with terror group Al Shabaab, Somalia is currently undergoing a major democratic shift, preparing for its first direct ‘one person, one vote’ election.
Voter registration has been ongoing in several key districts, including Banadir and Mogadishu, a move widely seen as a cornerstone for restoring citizen participation and national stability with local council elections having been conducted end of June.
While reflecting on the painful past of brutal attack by the Khawarij extremists in 2009 that left many of his comrades dead and himself seriously injured, Mahdi said the occasion for him is not only political but personal as well.
“After we performed the Asr prayer on the afternoon of Wednesday, May 27, 2009, the Khawarij attacked us,” Mahdi recalled, adding, “That day marked the beginning of the separation between the true heroes of the Islamic Courts and Al Shabaab.”
Sixteen years later, he returned to the same place where that attack occurred, this time to register as a voter.
“Tonight praise be to Allah I registered to vote at the very same place, where now there’s no smell of gunpowder, and not a single person feels afraid. Young people were joyfully walking the streets with ease,” he said.
Calling the registration certificate “more than a piece of paper,” Mahdi emphasized that it symbolizes the progress made in reclaiming peace and democratic rights.
“This confirms that today, our capital city has reached a stage where citizens can cast their votes in peace,” he said.
With security top of mind and a growing sense of civic responsibility, Mahdi expressed hope that this democratic momentum will pave the way for a safer, more unified Somalia.
