South West Elections Open Today As 394 Parliamentary Candidates, 1,297 Local Council Aspirants Enter Race

GOOBJOOG NEWS|BAIDOA: Somalia’s electoral process entered a significant new phase on Saturday as elections officially opened in the South West State, where 394 parliamentary candidates have been cleared to contest seats in the regional House of Representatives.
In a statement issued from Baydhaba, the National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission announced that 15 political organizations will participate in the parliamentary elections. The commission said the list includes 322 male candidates and 72 female candidates.
The electoral body also confirmed the launch of local council elections across 13 districts in South West State, describing the process as a major step in Somalia’s broader transition toward expanded political participation.
According to the commission, 18 political organizations are taking part in the local council elections, with a total of 1,297 candidates contesting. Of those candidates, 1,022 are men while 275 are women.
The commission stated that all candidate registration and verification procedures were conducted in accordance with Somalia’s National Elections Law and the commission’s established regulations.
The opening of elections in South West comes at a politically sensitive moment as Somalia continues debates over its electoral model and the country’s democratic transition ahead of upcoming federal political timelines.
The process is being closely watched by political stakeholders, civil society groups, and international partners as one of the first large-scale attempts to operationalize a broader political party-based electoral framework within a federal member state.
The commission called on political organizations, candidates, the media, and the public to uphold transparency, security, and confidence throughout the electoral process.
Voting activities officially commenced today in parts of South West State, with authorities expected to issue further updates on turnout, logistics, and security as the exercise progresses.