Mogadishu, Somalia – Defence Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi has called on citizens across the country to register for the upcoming elections, emphasizing that widespread participation is vital to reclaiming the nation’s long-withheld democratic rights.
After receiving his voter card at a National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (NIEBC) centre in Galkayo, Fiqi stated that the registration process offers Somalis the chance to select leaders who truly represent their communities at district, state, and federal levels.
Fiqi described the moment as “historic,” observing that generations of Somalis have been unable to take part in a direct election for more than five decades.
“Elections are a constitutional right that have been absent from the hands of the people for 56 years. Today that right has been restored to the citizens of Somalia. I encourage every Somali, wherever they live, to go out and register so they can decide their own future,” he said.
He noted that broad public participation is the foundation of the one-person-one-vote system the government intends to establish, adding that national progress relies on citizens engaging in the democratic process.
