MOGADISHU — The Federal Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Hassan Moalim Mohamud, conducted a high-profile visit to Mogadishu’s Dayniile district on Friday, stepping up the government’s push to prepare residents for the capital’s first-ever direct local council elections.
The minister’s tour centered on evaluating Dayniile’s readiness for the historic vote and directly engaging with community leaders and residents. His visit forms part of a broader nationwide effort aimed at ensuring that the transition to universal suffrage reaches every neighborhood in Mogadishu.
During his discussions with locals, Minister Hassan Moalim delivered a firm reminder that all eligible voters must collect their voter cards before the December 25 deadline. He stressed that securing a voter card is the only legal pathway for citizens to exercise their constitutional right at the ballot box.
The minister called the upcoming shift to a “One Person, One Vote” system a defining moment in Somalia’s modern political history. He said the change marks a return of political authority to ordinary citizens after decades of indirect selection processes dominated by elite negotiation.
“Returning power to the people is a monumental step toward building a transparent and accountable political system,” he said, noting that direct elections form the foundation of Somalia’s ongoing governance reforms.
Minister Hassan Moalim reaffirmed that the DanQaran administration is committed to ensuring that political representation reflects the will of the Somali public. The government, he added, is determined to strengthen democratic participation and ensure widespread public readiness ahead of the polls.
By visiting Dayniile, the ministry aims to reinforce both the legal right and civic duty of citizens to participate in the electoral process. Authorities hope that strong voter card collection and voter turnout will enhance the credibility of the new municipal councils and advance Somalia’s broader state-building and democratization efforts.
