Hirshabelle Community Backs Direct Elections at Mogadishu Rally

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: A gathering of members of the Jareerweyne community in Mogadishu has endorsed Somalia’s planned one-person, one-vote elections, calling on residents of Hirshabelle state to participate in the anticipated polls and support the country’s democratic transition.

During the rally, participants urged eligible voters to prepare for the elections and exercise their constitutional right to elect their leaders through the ballot, describing universal suffrage as an important step towards strengthening democratic governance and increasing public participation in decision-making.

The meeting brought together government officials, traditional elders, community leaders, women and youth representatives, who stressed the need for peaceful and inclusive elections and encouraged broad public participation when voting begins in Hirshabelle.

Somalia’s Information Minister, Abdifatah Qasim Mohamud, who addressed the gathering, said direct elections were a constitutional right for every Somali citizen and urged residents of Hirshabelle to take part in the electoral process.

The rally comes at a politically significant time, with Somalia’s electoral transition remaining at the centre of national debate. While there is broad agreement among political stakeholders on moving towards direct elections, discussions continue over the framework for implementing the new system and the institutions that will oversee it.

The federal government plans to hold local elections in several federal member states as part of its broader electoral reforms, but opposition groups have continued to call for greater political consensus before key aspects of the process are implemented.

Supporters at the gathering said expanding voter participation would be crucial to ensuring the legitimacy and credibility of future elections, as Somalia seeks to move away from the indirect clan-based system that has shaped its politics for decades.