President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has urged registered voters to turn out in large numbers and participate in the historic local council election happening on December 25th in the Banadir region.

In a televised state of address a few hours before the first one-person-one-vote election in Somalia, President Mohamud noted that Mogadishu was moving away from the provisional arrangements and transitioning into a new system that will legitimize democracy. He appealed to all citizens with registered votes to exercise their constitutional mandate in electing leaders of their choice.

He further noted that the power of electing local council leaders now rests with the people of Somalia.
The chairman of the National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (NIEBC), Mr. Abdikarim Ahmed Hassan, said all hands are on deck and assured the public of their preparedness for the task ahead.

523 polling stations across the 16 districts will be open in a few hours from now, where a total of 503,196 residents, representing 55% of the registered voters, are expected to participate in the historic polls.

Earlier this week, Police Commissioner Brigadier General Asad Osman Abdullahi deployed 10,000 police officers in all 16 districts to man the polling stations and assist vulnerable voters. Vehicle movement was restricted on the election day to enable easy transportation and deployment of election materials.

The historic polls also show 102 journalists from 27 mainstream media stations receiving intensive training on election coverage, where issues on ethical election reporting, legal framework, and safety protocol were emphasized in a forum that was conducted by the Federal Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism; NIEBC; and Somali journalists (NUSOJ), where they were urged to adhere to the highest standards of professionalism.

The NIEBC chairman, Mr. Hassan, also noted that the commission will give access to verified journalists at all the 523 polling stations and ensure there is transparency and accountability for the local and international press.