Wednesday September 30, 2026
Beledweyne (HOL) — Thousands of people cast ballots Wednesday in direct elections for regional assemblies and local councils in Galmudug and Hirshabelle states, marking another step in Somalia’s gradual shift away from its long-standing indirect electoral model.
In Hirshabelle, voting took place in several districts, including Jowhar, Adale, Gerijir, Jalalaqsi, Mahaday, Mataban, Bal’ad, Beledweyne and Warsheekh.
In Jowhar, Hirshabelle President Ali Gudlawe Hussein, the Justice and Solidarity Party (JSP) candidate for the state leadership, cast his vote alongside the speaker of the Hirshabelle House of Representatives and other officials.
Gudlawe described the vote as a significant day for the people of Hirshabelle, saying residents had turned out to choose their preferred candidates.
A curfew was imposed in Jowhar and Beledweyne until the evening as part of security measures aimed at protecting polling stations and ensuring the smooth conduct of the vote.
The Independent National Electoral and Boundaries Commission said thousands of election workers and security personnel were involved in managing the polls.
The Galmudug vote is a rerun of elections held July 30, after the Supreme Court annulled the previous results over administrative and procedural irregularities.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud described the elections in Galmudug and Hirshabelle as a significant step toward democracy and the advancement of Somalia’s electoral system.
He said residents in Mudug, Galgaduud, Hiiraan and Middle Shabelle had peacefully gone to polling stations, calling the election day a “positive milestone” in Somalia’s democratic development.
“Today is another day that marks a positive chapter in the history of our country’s democracy and progress,” Hassan Sheikh said, commending citizens who participated in the vote.
He said public participation reflected citizens’ constitutional right to vote and their role in strengthening governance, democracy and representation.
The president also praised Somali security forces for secured polling stations and helped the elections take place in a peaceful environment.
He said the elections showed the Somali people’s commitment to inclusive governance, peace and a political process based on public choice.
The vote comes as Somalia continues efforts to expand direct elections, in which citizens cast ballots directly for their representatives, replacing the indirect model that has dominated national and regional politics for years.
The Justice and Solidarity Party (JSP), led by President Hassan Sheikh, is contesting the elections, while several opposition groups led by former government leaders have boycotted the process. The party also performed strongly in earlier elections held in Mogadishu and South West State.
