What Happened in Mogadishu Today Betrays the Spirit of One Person One Vote

What took place today in Mogadishu presents a distorted picture and has deeply damaged the spirit and aspirations that the people of the capital held regarding a genuine one person one vote election, one meant to return power to the citizens.

Elections have been a long cherished hope for every Somali for more than 50 years. They represented the only light through which people believed meaningful and tangible change could finally be achieved in the country.

However, this so called “One Person One Vote” election, reduced instead to what many see as “One Person One President,” will not change the harsh realities faced daily by the people of Mogadishu. The reasons are clear:

1. The Mayor of Mogadishu, the Banadir Regional Governor, and district commissioners will all remain in their positions unchanged.

2. Corruption, land grabbing, and forced displacement will continue unabated.

3. A justice system that favors those with money will remain exactly as it is.

4. Abuse of power, unlawful actions, and repression of citizens will persist.

5. Heavy taxation and extortion imposed on the public will continue without delivering meaningful services in return.

There will be no tangible improvement in the lives of suffering citizens. Accountability, oversight, monitoring, and independent institutions that balance power will not emerge. Everything will remain exactly where it is. The situation will simply repeat itself without progress.

The only certain outcome of this process is the creation of approximately 390 district council members, whose selection will

By Abdirahman Abdishakur