Mogadishu, Somalia — A large demonstration in support of the upcoming one-person-one-vote elections shook the Somali capital on Saturday night, as hundreds of residents from various districts of the Banadir region gathered at Taleex intersection, voicing their enthusiasm for democratic reform.
Waving banners and chanting slogans, the demonstrators expressed strong support for the individual voter registration process recently completed across Banadir. According to regional officials, nearly one million residents have been registered to vote in the upcoming local council elections.
"We are ready for elections. The people have spoken -- they want their voices heard through a fair, democratic process," said Mohamed Ahmed Diriye Yabooh, Deputy Governor of Banadir for Security and Politics, who addressed the crowd.
Several demonstrators told local media that this marked a historic moment in the country's political evolution, with hopes high that the elections will be peaceful and inclusive.
Somalia's National Electoral Commission confirmed the completion of voter registration for Banadir and announced that the local council elections are scheduled for October.
The move toward one-person-one-vote elections is part of Somalia's broader push to replace the long-standing clan-based system with a more democratic framework.
If successful, the Banadir polls could set a precedent for nationwide electoral reforms.
