MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s National Electoral Commission chair, Abdikarim Ahmed Hassan, announced that voter registration in the Banaadir region will be extended by one month. This announcement comes amid mounting skepticism, technical setbacks, and intense political dispute over the country’s planned shift to a one-person, one-vote system.

While the extension is officially framed as a corrective measure to address delays and ensure inclusivity, credible sources told Caasimada Online that the actual voter registration numbers have been dismal—a sign that the problem goes far beyond timing or logistics.

Public apathy and low turnout

Despite the high population density in many Mogadishu districts—some home to hundreds of thousands of residents—registration numbers have reportedly been shockingly low, with fewer than 5,000 people registering in entire districts. These figures paint a grim picture of public disengagement and widespread apathy.

According to the source, the Electoral Commission has even resorted to questionable tactics in an attempt to inflate registration numbers. In some cases, citizens who visited district headquarters seeking birth certificates were misled into registering to vote, being told it was simply part of the birth certificate process. Even so, turnout remains severely underwhelming, underscoring a deeper crisis of confidence.

The low participation is not simply due to disorganization or lack of awareness. The core issue, sources say, is that many Somalis do not believe the election will happen. After years of delayed or manipulated electoral processes, often marred by political interference and insecurity, public trust in government-led initiatives has eroded.

This sentiment seriously undermines the credibility of the current process. Even when procedural mechanisms—such as deadline extensions—are implemented to promote inclusivity, they do little to counter the perception that the entire system is fundamentally flawed or performative.

Politicization and legitimacy crisis

Adding to this is the strong opposition from former leaders and political factions, who argue the current electoral model lacks a constitutional foundation and has been developed without adequate consultation. These groups have labeled the ongoing process illegitimate and unilateral, claiming it lacks transparency, legal grounding, and inclusivity.

This context is crucial. Any move by the commission, even one aimed at logistical fairness, is immediately interpreted through a highly politicized lens. The voter registration extension, seemingly reasonable on the surface, is therefore tainted by a broader legitimacy crisis.

Adding to the complexity is the open rejection of the electoral process by key federal member states, most notably Puntland and Jubaland. These regional governments have refused to cooperate with the National Electoral Commission, arguing that the federal government’s approach to the one-person, one-vote model has been unilateral, unconstitutional, and politically motivated.

Puntland, in particular, has stated that it will not participate in any electoral process that is not the result of an inclusive political agreement involving all stakeholders, including the federal member states, opposition parties, and civil society. Jubaland has echoed similar concerns, accusing the federal authorities in Mogadishu of bypassing constitutional processes and marginalizing regional voices.

This rejection is not merely symbolic—it creates operational and legitimacy gaps that are impossible to ignore. Without nationwide cooperation, a uniform, credible electoral process becomes unfeasible. The exclusion of entire regions undermines both the legal validity and political inclusiveness of the vote, raising serious questions about whether the outcome of such an election would be nationally recognized or accepted.

Moreover, the standoff reflects deeper tensions within Somalia’s federal system, where distrust between Mogadishu and federal member states continues to stall progress on key national priorities—including constitutional reform, security coordination, and electoral integrity. The impasse highlights how state-building efforts remain fragile and incomplete, even as the federal government pushes forward with its ambitious democratic agenda.

Symbolic gesture or systemic breakdown?

The commission’s decision to add 30 days to the registration period may help smooth out some technical issues. However, it does little to address the systemic dysfunction and trust deficit that plague Somalia’s transition to universal suffrage.

Instead, it risks being viewed as a symbolic gesture—a procedural adjustment made to mask the reality that most Somalis are either uninterested, unaware, or outright disillusioned with the process. Without genuine belief in the electoral system, such interventions are unlikely to alter participation rates meaningfully.

The extension of voter registration in the Banaadir region highlights the Somali government’s ongoing struggle to implement a credible and inclusive electoral process. What should have been a moment to empower citizens is instead revealing the depth of public mistrust, poor turnout, and the failure to build a consensus around Somalia’s democratic future.

Until these deeper issues—legal clarity, political inclusiveness, and public confidence—are addressed, procedural changes like deadline extensions will continue to fall flat. Worse, they may inadvertently expose how little faith remains in the promise of one-person, one-vote elections.