By Shire Abdi - Reporter
Somalia, 27 April 2026 Somalia’s electoral commission postponed South West State elections to May 10, citing need for credible polls.
A statement issued by the commission Monday evening said the decision followed consultations with political party leaders on existing challenges to ensure the electoral process is lawful and transparent.
The deadline for submitting candidate lists has been pushed to May 5, 2026, to give political parties additional time to meet the required conditions.
The elections, for local councils and the South West State parliament, were initially scheduled for April 28.
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The commission stressed that the postponement is aimed at ensuring the elections are conducted in a free, fair, and credible manner.
Preparations for the planned one-person, one-vote elections are still ongoing in various parts of South West State, the commission said.
Opposition leaders have, however, opposed the polls, saying Somalia is not ready for one person, one vote.