Mogadishu, Somalia — Somali police announced on Thursday the arrest of multiple individuals accused of spreading false claims about being forcibly taken to register for the upcoming local elections in Mogadishu.
In an official statement, the Somali Police Force said the suspects admitted during preliminary investigations that they had been paid to fabricate the allegations, which were widely shared on social media platforms earlier this week.
The claims stirred public debate and raised concerns about potential voter coercion in the capital.
According to police spokesperson Major Sadik Aden Ali, the suspects had staged a video in which they falsely claimed they were detained and forced by unknown individuals to register as voters in the local government polls.
Authorities described the incident as a deliberate attempt to mislead the public and undermine the credibility of the ongoing electoral process.
“These individuals have confessed to participating in a coordinated misinformation campaign intended to create fear and mistrust around the voter registration process. We are committed to holding accountable anyone who seeks to disrupt or delegitimize democratic processes through falsehoods or propaganda,” Major Sadik said.
While the exact number of those arrested was not disclosed, the police said further investigations are underway to identify the financiers and instigators behind the scheme.
The Somali federal government and Benadir Regional Administration have been preparing for the local elections as part of a broader effort to implement universal suffrage in Somalia.
This marks the first time in over 50 years that Mogadishu residents will elect their local council representatives directly.
Officials have urged citizens to remain vigilant against disinformation and to report suspicious activities to law enforcement.
The National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (NIEBC) has not yet commented on the incident but reiterated earlier this week that the voter registration process remains voluntary, secure, and transparent.
The elections are expected to be a critical step in Somalia’s ongoing democratization and decentralization process.