By Bakar Osman - Reporter
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MOGADISHU, 31 October 2026 — Somalia's National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (NIEBC) has opened registration for political parties ahead of the planned 2027 federal elections.
The registration window will run from November 1 to November 22, 2026, the commission announced on Saturday. It said the move is in line with its legal mandate and follows its October 15 announcement setting gthe timetable for elections to the two houses of parliament.
Parliamentary elections are ggscheduled for April 15, 2027, while the presidential election is planned for May 15, under a proposed one-person one-vote system.
The commission called on political stakeholders and other interested parties to use the registration period to participate in the electoral process and the country's broader democratisation efforts.
According to the timetable, parliamentary candidate lists must be submitted by November 22, 2026, while the election campaign is scheduled to begin on February 27, 2027.
The opening of registration marks another key test of Somalia's electoral preparations, as political partiesg and institutions move closer to a vote expected to shape the country's next political chapter.