Somalia, 6 April 2026 Somalia’s President said Sunday that South West presidential election will be held within one or two months, putting an end to speculation about the interim administration’s tenure following the resignation of the region's president last month.
President Mohamud made the announcement at a meeting on Sunday where a group of South West State women expressed support for the one-person one-vote electoral system.
The president said the federal government would step back from the internal affairs of the administration to allow local communities decide their own political direction.
“As the Federal Government, we will step aside and leave you to decide on your own. The leadership will remain in Baidoa for one or two months until an election is held,” he said.
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President Mohamud stressed that reconciliation among communities in South West State is essential for stability and state-building, urging residents to forgive past grievances and focus on a shared future.
“We want reconciliation. We want people to come together. What happened in the past cannot be brought back; we must move beyond it,” he added.
The remarks come as preparations continue across South West State for one-person one-vote elections. The chairperson of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Abdikarim Ahmed Hassan, who recently arrived in Baidoa, said combined regional parliamentary and local council elections are scheduled for April 28.

