The African Union Commission chairperson, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, has praised Somalia for the calm and orderly conduct of municipal elections held in Mogadishu, describing the vote as a significant early step in the country’s long-running push to rebuild democratic governance after decades of instability.
In a statement issued on December 25, 2025, the commission chairperson congratulated citizens for participating peacefully in a process widely viewed as historic.
“The chairperson of the African Union Commission takes note of the municipal elections held in Mogadishu on December 25, 2025 and congratulates the Somali people on the calm and orderly conduct of the process,” the statement said.
It added that the elections “constitute an important initial step in Somalia’s ongoing efforts to advance democratic governance across the country.”
The vote marked the first time in more than five decades that residents of Mogadishu directly elected their local representatives.
Somalia last held direct elections in 1969, months before a military coup that ushered in decades of authoritarian rule and, later, protracted civil war.
On Thursday, residents of the capital went to the polls to elect district council members in an exercise that saw about half a million registered voters choose from roughly 1,605 candidates competing for 390 council seats.
Voting took place across 523 polling stations spread throughout the city.
Somalia’s president described the elections as a “new chapter in the country’s history,” underscoring their symbolic importance in a nation where political participation has long been shaped by indirect systems and elite bargaining rather than universal suffrage.
Following the collapse of the central government in 1991 after the fall of military leader Mohamed Siad Barre, Somalia endured years of civil war and state fragmentation.
In 2004, the country adopted an indirect, clan-based electoral model in which clan elders and delegates select legislators, who then elect the president.
That system has often been criticised as opaque and exclusionary, and has repeatedly triggered disputes among political actors.
Youssouf noted that elections at the local level play a critical role in building democratic culture and institutional capacity.
“Electoral processes at the municipal level contribute to the strengthening of participatory governance and offer valuable experience as Somalia advances its nationally led political and electoral trajectory,” the statement said.
Security for the Mogadishu vote was tight. Authorities deployed close to 10,000 police officers across the city and imposed a temporary lockdown that restricted vehicle and pedestrian movement.
Flights into the capital’s main airport were also halted for the duration of the exercise. Security conditions in Mogadishu remain fragile, more than three decades after the collapse of the Barre government.
The federal authorities continue to battle the al Qaeda-affiliated armed group al Shabab, which has carried out numerous attacks in the capital, the most recent major one occurring in October.
Against that backdrop, the African Union urged Somali political actors to maintain dialogue and restraint as the country builds on the municipal vote.
The commission chairperson encouraged “all Somali political stakeholders to continue engaging constructively through dialogue and inclusive consultation, in a manner that supports national unity, and long-term stability.”
The African Union also reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Somalia’s political transition.
According to the statement, the continental body remains engaged in accompanying Somalis “in their efforts to strengthen inclusive governance and advance lasting peace and stability.”
The Mogadishu municipal elections serve as a test case that could inform future reforms aimed at gradually expanding direct elections at higher levels of government, though significant political, security and logistical challenges remain.
by EMMANUEL WANJALA
