Somalia made a significant stride toward universal suffrage Thursday as 390 newly elected members of the Banadir Regional Council were officially sworn in at the Banadir Regional Court, marking the capital’s first one-person, one-vote local election in over five decades.
These council members, elected in December 2025 across Mogadishu’s 16 districts, represent 20 political parties and signify a historic departure from Somalia’s long-standing clan-based political system.
The swearing-in ceremony brought together senior government ministers, Banadir Regional Administration officials, traditional elders, and religious scholars. Banadir Governor and Mogadishu Mayor Hassan Mohamed Hussein Mungaab praised the event as a milestone in restoring political authority to citizens.
“Power has returned to the people,” Mungaab stated, congratulating the electoral commission and capital residents. He urged the new council members to serve with integrity and enhance transparency and accountability at the local level.
Abdikarim Ahmed Hassan, chairman of the National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, characterized the occasion as historic.
“For the first time in over five decades, Somalis have directly elected representatives to serve at the local level,” he said, highlighting the presence of women and youth among the council members as evidence of broadening political participation.
Deputy Interior Minister Abdihamiin Ashkir underscored the significance of local councils as the governmental tier closest to citizens. He stated that the newly sworn-in members would play a crucial role in overseeing essential public services, including security, health, water, and education.
The Banadir elections mark Somalia’s first major voting exercise conducted by the National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission. The vote is widely regarded as a test case for the federal government’s broader initiative to implement nationwide one-person, one-vote elections.
Mogadishu residents cast ballots in December in what officials described as the country’s first direct vote since 1969. This process represented a departure from Somalia’s indirect electoral system, where clan delegates select lawmakers who then choose the president.
However, the process has sparked controversy. Opposition parties dismissed the elections as flawed and one-sided, accusing the federal government of lacking consensus and transparency. Political tensions have intensified in recent months between President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and leaders of federal member states, especially Puntland and Jubaland, regarding constitutional reforms and the future electoral system.
The Banadir vote did not determine the mayor of Mogadishu, who also serves as governor of the Banadir region. That position remains appointed as the constitutional status of the capital remains unresolved, requiring national agreement.
Since 2016, successive Somali administrations have committed to restoring universal suffrage, but insecurity, logistical challenges, and political disputes have repeatedly delayed implementation. Federal authorities now present the Banadir elections as the initial step toward expanding direct voting to other federal member states, including Southwest, Hirshabelle, Galmudug, and the Northeast regions.