Mogadishu’s Police Commissioner, Moallim Mahdi, has assured residents of the capital that security will be maintained throughout Somalia’s historic political season, as the country transitions towards its first direct local elections in over five decades.
Speaking Friday after registering as a voter, Mahdi described the moment as deeply symbolic, not just for himself, but for the entire country.
“Receiving my voter registration here tonight is a powerful symbol for me. It represents the peace and positive change the country is experiencing,” he said.
Voter registration has been ongoing in several key districts, including Banadir and Mogadishu.
The move is widely seen as a cornerstone for restoring citizen participation and national stability.
For Commissioner Mahdi, the occasion is not only political but personal as well.
Reflecting on the painful past, he recounted a brutal attack by the Khawarij extremists in 2009 that left many of his comrades dead and himself seriously injured.
“After we performed the Asr prayer on the afternoon of May 27, 2009, the Khawarij attacked us,” Mahdi recalled.
“That day marked the beginning of the separation between the true heroes of the Islamic Courts and al Shabaab.”
Sixteen years later, he returned to the same place where that attack occurred—this time to register as a voter.
“Tonight, praise be to Allah. I registered to vote at the very same place, where now there’s no smell of gunpowder, and not a single person feels afraid,” he said.
Mahdi emphasised that the voter registration certificate symbolises the progress made in reclaiming peace and democratic rights.
With security top of mind and a growing sense of civic responsibility, Mahdi expressed hope that this democratic momentum will pave the way for a safer, more unified Somalia.
Somalia, long known for its security challenges associated with terror group al Shabaab, is currently undergoing a major democratic shift, preparing for its first direct ‘one person, one vote’ elections since 1969.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and First Lady Saro Omar Hassan have also registered as voters, marking their support for the new electoral framework that is expected to culminate in local and presidential elections slated for May 2026.
