Elections Commission Sets 523 Polling Stations for Mogadishu Elections

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: Somalia’s election authorities have completed final logistical preparations for Mogadishu’s landmark local council elections, with new figures showing more than 500 polling stations will open across the capital on December 25.

According to data released by the National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, a total of 523 polling stations will be operational across 16 districts of the Banadir region, supported by 213 voting centres. The rollout underscores the scale of what officials describe as one of the most significant democratic exercises in the capital in more than five decades.

Densely populated districts such as Dayniile, Hodan, Dharkiinley, Yaaqshiid and Kaaraan will host the largest number of polling stations, reflecting population size and voter registration figures. Dayniile alone will have 70 polling stations, while Hodan and Dharkiinley will operate 55 and 69 stations respectively.

The figures were released as the electoral commission held final briefings with polling staff and volunteers, urging strict neutrality and professionalism ahead of the vote. Election officials say more than 550 trained personnel will be deployed to manage voting, counting and results transmission on election day.

The December 25 polls will allow Mogadishu residents to directly elect their local representatives under a one-person, one-vote system, a sharp break from decades of indirect and clan-based selection processes. For the Banadir region, whose political status has long been contested, the elections are seen as a critical test of Somalia’s broader push toward universal suffrage ahead of the 2026 national elections.

While the process has drawn criticism from some opposition groups who argue that the capital’s status remains unresolved, the government and electoral authorities say the vote is a necessary step toward restoring citizen participation and strengthening local governance.

Security agencies remain on high alert, but election officials say preparations are largely complete and that the focus is now on ensuring a peaceful, credible and transparent vote in a city that has rarely experienced direct elections in a generation.