Southwest State of Somalia prepares for local council elections to begin tomorrow, Sunday.

Southwest State of Somalia prepares for local council elections to begin tomorrow, Sunday.

 On Sunday, all eyes in Somalia will be on the South West State, where local council elections will begin in a number of cities and regions within the state. This is considered one of the most important political milestones in the country's transition towards a direct election system, after decades of relying on indirect formulas and power-sharing based on tribal quotas.

These elections are taking place amidst widespread interest from the federal government and local political leaders, as they represent a crucial test of the "one person, one vote" initiative, which the Somali government is striving to establish as a prelude to holding direct general elections nationwide.

The upcoming elections mark the first large-scale trial of direct local elections in the Southwest State in over five decades. Citizens will be given the opportunity to elect their representatives to local councils through direct voting, a political transformation the government has described as a "historic step" towards strengthening democracy and local governance.

The Independent National Electoral and Boundaries Commission (INEC) announced the completion of all technical and administrative preparations for the electoral process, confirming the participation of 32 registered political organizations in the local elections scheduled for 12 cities in Southwest State.

According to the INEC, the elections will be held in several key cities in Southwest State, including Baidoa, Barawe, Merca, Afgoye, Wanlaweyn, Burhakaba, Wajid, Bardale, Qansahtiri, Dinsor, and Hudur, amidst intensive security and administrative arrangements to ensure the smooth and organized conduct of the electoral process. The past period also saw voter registration and an extension of the registration deadline to allow the largest possible number of citizens to participate in the elections.