Mogadishu, Somalia – Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame, leader of the Wadajir Party and a federal MP, has strongly condemned National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, accusing them of exerting heavy pressure on universities in Mogadishu to forcibly register students, lecturers, and staff for upcoming elections.

Warsame stated that the commissions threatened universities with punitive measures should they refuse to comply and have threatened to deploy security forces to enforce registration.

“Registration, voting, and participation in elections are constitutional rights and must be voluntary, not compulsory or coercive,” Warsame said.

He also called on Somali citizens to engage in peaceful protests and digital campaigns to defend these rights, especially on social media platforms.

This statement comes amid the ongoing voter registration process for local council elections, which is currently underway at several locations including Somali National University, a government-managed institution.