Somalia Opens Political Party Registration Amid Dispute Over Direct Elections

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: Somalia will begin registering political organisations on November 1 as the country presses ahead with plans for direct parliamentary elections, despite continuing disagreements between the federal government and opposition groups over the country’s electoral framework.

The National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (NIEBC) announced on Saturday that registration would remain open until November 22, giving political organisations three weeks to complete the process.

The commission said the exercise forms part of preparations for elections to both houses of the Federal Parliament, following its October 15 announcement setting out the electoral timetable.

In its latest statement, the electoral body cited Article 10(4) of the law establishing the commission and Article 7(j) of the National Elections Law as the legal basis for the registration exercise.

It urged political organisations and other stakeholders to participate, describing the process as an opportunity to contribute to Somalia’s electoral transition and broader democratisation efforts.

The announcement comes at a politically sensitive time as President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration pushes to replace the country’s longstanding indirect electoral system with universal suffrage.

Under the existing clan-based system, parliamentary seats have largely been allocated through a power-sharing arrangement known as the 4.5 formula, with lawmakers elected by selected delegates rather than through a nationwide popular vote.

Although the system has enabled successive political transitions, it has faced criticism over limited public participation, political bargaining and the influence of clan elders and regional leaders.

The federal government argues that direct elections would strengthen democratic accountability, reduce dependence on clan-based political arrangements and allow Somali citizens to choose their representatives.

However, opposition politicians and some federal member states have challenged aspects of the proposed electoral reforms, particularly constitutional amendments and changes to the electoral system.

Critics have called for a negotiated political settlement before nationwide elections proceed, warning that an electoral process lacking broad agreement could deepen divisions between Mogadishu and regional administrations.

The disagreements have become particularly significant as Somalia approaches another electoral cycle, with questions remaining over the implementation of direct voting, political participation and the arrangements governing parliamentary and presidential elections.

On October 15, the electoral commission announced a timetable scheduling elections for the House of the People on April 15, 2027, followed by a presidential election on May 15, 2027.

The commission’s latest announcement signals its intention to move forward with the preparatory stages of that timetable, even as political negotiations over the electoral framework remain unsettled.

Somalia has not held nationwide direct parliamentary elections since 1969, before the military takeover that ended the country’s multiparty democratic system.

Decades of civil conflict, institutional collapse and insecurity have complicated subsequent attempts to restore universal suffrage.

More recently, the country has made efforts to introduce direct voting at the local level, although extending such elections nationwide presents considerable logistical and security challenges.

Al-Shabaab, which continues to control or contest territory in parts of southern and central Somalia, remains a major obstacle to organising voting in areas affected by insecurity.

The registration of political organisations is therefore an important early test of the government’s electoral plans, particularly whether the process can attract broad political participation and build confidence among competing stakeholders.

While the commission has invited interested organisations to register, the extent of participation by opposition groups and parties aligned with dissenting federal member states remains to be seen.

The coming weeks could prove crucial in determining whether Somalia’s planned electoral transition gains wider political support or proceeds amid continued disagreement over the rules governing the vote.