Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Tuesday registered as a voter in Mogadishu’s Warta Nabadda District, marking a symbolic step in the country’s push towards its first direct elections in decades. The President lauded the National Independent Election Commission (NIEC) for what he described as “decisive measures” to ensure the smooth conduct of one-person, one-vote elections, a goal long embedded in the nation’s provisional constitution.
Calling on citizens to make full use of the registration period, the Head of State urged Somalis to secure their constitutional right to choose leaders they trust with the nation’s future, from federal and state parliamentarians to presidents at both levels.
He also commended security forces, district authorities, and local communities for working “hand in glove” to safeguard and facilitate the voter registration process. The President’s move comes amid ongoing talks between the federal government leadership and some of the country’s key opposition leaders on the model of the upcoming national elections.
