by Nurat Uthman
Political leaders in Somalia agreed Wednesday on a framework for the country’s first national one-person, one-vote elections, a government statement said.
The decision followed marathon monthlong talks led by Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud that saw the withdrawal of Jubaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam, also known as Madobe,from the National Consultative Council meeting in Mogadishu.
Somalia’s government and federal member states said Wednesday that direct universal suffrage would be introduced with local elections set for June 2025.
The agreement signed by Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, the leaders of three regional states and Mogadishu’s governor laid out a path to nationwide one-person, one-vote elections.
“The leaders agreed to introduce national elections, where citizens will vote for their leaders, starting with the local, regional and municipal elections set for June 2025,” read a communique released at the end of the meeting in Mogadishu.
“The election of parliamentary and presidential leaders of the Federal Member states will be held on September 2025,” the statement said.
The members of NCC also have ordered the completion of Somalia’s National Independent Electoral Commission to facilitate the electoral process.
