By Nuh Mohamed - Reporter
Somalia (Dawan Africa), April 16, 2026 — Somalia’s Galmudug state has announced accelerated preparations for direct elections under a one-person, one-vote system, while welcoming its selection as the site for the country’s first oil well.
The announcement came during a State’s cabinet meeting chaired by President Ahmed Abdi Kariye (Qoorqoor), where ministers reviewed a report from the state’s Ministry of Internal Security on the overall security situation across Galmudug.
The cabinet praised the leadership’s efforts in securing the oil project, saying the state’s political stability and security were key factors behind the decision to locate the first drilling operations there.
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The meeting also discussed speeding up preparations for the upcoming elections, which are set to be held under a direct voting system for the first time in more than 50 years, urging citizens to actively participate.
The statement affirmed that the Galmudug government and its leadership are the sole authority responsible for managing the state’s electoral affairs, representing the ruling JSP party, as the state leadership forms part of the party’s supreme council.