First up, Radio Dalsan (FM 91.5 - Mogadishu), November 15, 2025:
Somalia Takes Crucial Step Toward One-Person-One-Vote Elections Amid Political Tensions
MOGADISHU – In a move laden with both symbolic and practical significance, Somali electoral authorities commenced the distribution of biometric voter cards in the capital on Saturday, initiating a delicate pilot project for a one-person-one-vote electoral system not fully realized in over half a century.
The launch by the National Independent Electoral Commission (NIEC) represents the most tangible step to date in the Federal Government's protracted campaign to replace Somalia's clan-based indirect voting model with a system of direct universal suffrage. The initial phase targets seven districts in the Banaadir region, the administrative zone encompassing the nation's capital, Mogadishu.
The technical rollout saw officials begin distributing encoded voter ID cards from 42 designated centers across the city. In statements to the press, NIEC Chairman Abdikarim Ahmed Hassan outlined a streamlined process, noting that pre-registered individuals—numbering over 900,000 in Banaadir alone—are receiving SMS directives to specific collection points.
"This is a procedural cornerstone," stated a senior NIEC official who spoke on condition of anonymity. "The integrity of the voter register and the secure distribution of credentials are foundational to any credible electoral event."This meticulous logistical exercise is designed to build confidence in a process that has repeatedly faltered in the past. The districts of Shibis, Bondhere, Hamar-Jajab, Shangaani, Waaberi, Hamar-Weyne, and Abdiasis are serving as the first test cases for a system the federal government hopes to eventually deploy nationwide.The ambition to hold a direct vote represents a pivotal shift for Somalia. The country has not conducted a full one-person-one-vote national election since 1969. The subsequent collapse of the state in 1991 gave way to a complex power-sharing model where members of parliament were selected by clan elders, a system intended to ensure equitable representation but often criticized for fostering corruption and disenfranchising the general populace.
"For the Federal Government, this is about legacy and legitimacy," explains Dr. Safia Abdi, a political analyst specializing in Horn of Africa governance. "Transitioning to a direct vote is framed as the ultimate exit from decades of transitional politics and a testament to restored state functionality. It is a powerful narrative, both domestically and for international partners funding this peacebuilding process."Despite the visible progress in Mogadishu, the initiative faces formidable political headwinds that threaten its national viability. The federal member states of Jubbaland and Puntland, along with the opposition National Consultative Council (NCC), have mounted sustained criticism against the process.Their grievances are multifaceted. They allege a lack of genuine consultation, question the neutrality of the NIEC, and raise concerns over the feasibility of securing elections in regions still contested by Al-Shabaab militants. This opposition is not merely rhetorical; without the buy-in of these powerful sub-national actors, organizing elections in their territories would be practically and legally fraught.
"The Mogadishu pilot is proceeding, but it exists in a political vacuum," cautions a Western diplomat based in the capital. "The real test is not logistical; it is political. Can Mogadishu negotiate a pre-election deal that brings the powerful regional states and the opposition back into the fold? Without that, this risks being a successful election in the capital that deepens the country's political fractures."The distribution of voter cards in Mogadishu is a definitive milestone, demonstrating a level of administrative capacity once thought impossible for the Somali state. It is a testament to the determination of certain institutions and the profound public desire for a direct democratic voice....
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From Dawan Africa, December 13:
Somalia to Use New Voter Card in Future Elections says President
Somalia’s President, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, announced today that all upcoming national elections will be conducted using the new voter identification card currently being issued to citizens.
The President made the remarks in Warta Nabadda District in the Banaadir region, where he received his own voter card as part of the ongoing registration process. The cards will be used in the Banaadir local council elections scheduled for 25 December.
“Future elections will be conducted using the same voter card that is being issued now,” the President said, noting that the government and the electoral commission are working to build an integrated electoral framework that can be implemented nationwide.
He emphasized the importance of establishing a unified, transparent, and modern electoral system across the country as Somalia stabilizes....
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It's not just cards.
From the World Bank blog, September 17, 2025:
Federal Republic of Somalia launches mass registration drive for its Digital ID
This year’s International Identification Day on September 16 was particularly memorable for some of us. I, Daniel, had spent it in Mogadishu seeing the outstanding work of Somalia's National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) in the Federal Republic of Somalia. NIRA was celebrating its own milestone of launching the mass registration campaign for the long anticipated foundational digital ID. I heard firsthand stories of how obtaining an ID is changing people’s lives in Somalia, reinforcing the importance of the World Bank’s support to this initiative.
Take the case of Miss Jijo, a domestic worker in her early twenties. She has been working in Mogadishu to support her family back in Bakool since she was a teenager. She had never possessed any form of personal identification, until now. When asked why she registered for the foundational ID, she said:
I had never owned any kind of identification. For a long time, I didn’t really need it, and most documents like passports or birth certificates cost money I couldn’t afford. I used to send all my earnings back to my family, but recently I received a raise and decided to start saving a little for myself. To open a bank account, I needed an ID. The Somali ID was the first one accessible to me—it’s free, and it gives me a way to build some security for my future.
The launch of Somalia’s mass registration
On August 18, 2025, NIRA launched the pilot of its foundational ID mass registration campaign in the two districts of Shangani and Boondheer. This campaign is preparing to scale up with a bold objective: to register all 3.5 million residents of Mogadishu, extend coverage across the entirety of Banadir region, and ultimately reach 15 million nationwide by the end of 2029....
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Finally, from the Kulan Post, September 19:
Somalia to Enforce National ID Requirement for Citizenship Recognition
