MOGADISHU — The chairperson of Somalia’s National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, Abdikarim Ahmed Hassan, said incumbent district commissioners in the Banadir region are expected to contest the forthcoming local council elections.

Abdikarim said the election management body will apply the same rules and oversight to both serving officials and new challengers, stressing that the candidate who wins the most votes will represent district residents in the councils to be elected.

He dismissed claims that current district commissioners hold an unfair advantage over other candidates, arguing that incumbents remain in office during election periods in many countries while still competing at the ballot box.

“When you look at elections around the world, the person in office does not step aside simply because an election is taking place; they are challenged through the vote,” he said, adding that information available to the commission indicates many of the sitting Banadir district commissioners are likely to enter the race.

The commission said the Banadir local council elections are scheduled to begin on 25 December, with candidates representing political organisations that have completed the commission’s required procedures.