Men casting their ballots during the municipal elections meant to pave the way for the East African country's first direct national polls in more than half a century, in Hodan district of Mogadishu, Somalia, December 25, 2025 (Photo: REUTERS/Feisal Omar)

According to Somalia's electoral body, more than 1,600 candidates will contest 390 local council seats in the southeastern Banadir region that includes the capital.

The electoral commission said some 10,000 security personnel were deployed in Mogadishu and restrictions were imposed nationwide, including a ban on all motor vehicles except buses transporting voters to polling stations.

Addressing the nation on the eve of the Benadir regional council elections, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said the vote represents a defining moment for the recovery of Somali statehood.