Friday December 26, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) – The presidents of Galmudug, Hirshabelle, the Northeastern Somali Administration, and South West State have congratulated the peaceful conduct of the direct elections for the Banadir Regional Council, describing the vote as a historic milestone for Somalia.
In separate statements, the four federal member state leaders who are members of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s Justice and Solidarity Party (JSP) praised the elections as a major national achievement and a victory for the Somali people.
Hirshabelle President Ali Abdullahi Hussein Guudlaawe also congratulated President Mohamud, the National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (NIEBC), the Banadir Regional Administration, and the residents of Mogadishu. He said the election marked a new chapter in governance written by the people of the Banadir region, and he particularly praised the security agencies for maintaining stability during the vote.
South West State President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen likewise congratulated the people of Banadir for participating peacefully, transparently, and responsibly in the one-person, one-vote election. He said the high voter turnout demonstrated political maturity and public commitment to democratic participation, describing the vote as a historic step toward a government rooted in the will of the people.
The opposition, however, boycotted the elections, describing them as non-transparent and accusing President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of using the process to advance a political agenda aimed at extending his term in office.
Somalia last held direct elections in 1969 excluding the semi-autonomous Puntland region and the breakaway Somaliland months before the military coup led by Mohamed Siad Barre. After the collapse of his regime in 1991 and years of civil war, Somalia adopted an indirect electoral system in 2004 to manage clan divisions amid persistent insecurity.
The Mogadishu vote is widely viewed as a key test case for the possible expansion of direct elections at the national level.