Monday August 3, 2026
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia's ruling Justice and Solidarity Party (JSP) secured a commanding victory in Galmudug's first one-person, one-vote local council elections, winning more than half of all ballots cast and the largest share of council seats, according to official results announced Monday.
National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (NIEBC) Chairman Abdikarim Ahmed Hassan said voters elected 189 local council members across Galmudug, with 193,451 valid ballots cast.
The Towfiiq political organization finished second with 26,003 votes and secured 12 seats, while Sincad won six seats after receiving 12,862 votes. Karaamo received 10,668 votes, earning five seats.
Abdikarim said the results reflected the outcome of voting conducted across the participating districts, where multiple political organizations contested the polls.
The elections marked a significant milestone in Somalia's democratization process, with Galmudug becoming the second federal member state to elect local councils through universal suffrage under the National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission. The vote followed earlier direct elections held in the Banadir region and forms part of the federal government's broader effort to replace Somalia's longstanding clan-based indirect electoral system with one based on universal suffrage.
Despite the announcement of the results, several political organizations that participated in the elections have raised concerns over the conduct of the vote and the counting process.
Sources familiar with the discussions said opposition groups are consulting on possible next steps but have not yet issued a joint statement challenging the outcome.
The electoral commission has not publicly responded to the complaints.
The results are expected to shape the next phase of Galmudug's political transition, with the newly elected local councils set to play a key role in the formation of state institutions under Somalia's expanding one-person, one-vote electoral framework.
