Mogadishu, Somalia – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially announced on March 18 2025 its full preparedness for the upcoming local council elections, scheduled for June 30, 2025.

During a press conference, INEC Chairman Abdikarim Ahmed Hassan confirmed that the commission has received and taken full control of all the necessary equipment to facilitate voter registration and ensure a smooth voting process on election day.

“Today, we have officially received all the election materials, including equipment for voter registration and the voting process on election day,” said Chairman Abdikarim.

Additionally, the commission confirmed the election date as June 30, 2025, while the voter registration process is set to begin in April.

“We will conduct the local council elections across most regions of the country on June 30. Furthermore, the voter registration process will begin next month,” he added.

Political Party Registration and Opposition to the Process

This announcement comes as the registration of political parties is officially underway. However, only one party has been granted official recognition so far.

The registration process for political parties began on January 20 and is set to conclude on March 31. To date, the only officially registered party is the Somali Unity Party (Midowga Soomaaliyeed), making it the first political party to receive certification since the registration process was opened.

Despite the progress in preparations, the election process has faced strong opposition from Puntland and Jubaland administrations, as well as from opposition groups within the federal government, who have raised concerns about the transparency and fairness of the electoral process.