Somalia Supreme Court annuls Galmudug regional elections

Somalia’s Supreme Court has annulled the Galmudug regional parliamentary and local council elections held on July 30. The court’s Electoral Division, led by Chief Justice Baashe Yusuf Ahmed, ruled that the elections were not conducted in accordance with the constitution and electoral law, noting that irregularities reached a level that compromised the integrity of the results.

The National Independent Electoral Commission (NIEBC) has formally accepted the judgment, citing the supremacy of law and the importance of litigation as a proper route for settling electoral disputes. While the court voided the outcome under Article 82, it did not provide a specific timeline or supervisory mechanism for the replacement vote. The NIEBC stated it would announce a new timetable for fresh elections at a later date.

The July 30 vote was significant as Galmudug’s first attempt at direct elections for regional and local leadership, involving nearly 198,000 voters across 11 districts. This ruling follows previous successful certifications of elections in Mogadishu and Baidoa by the same judicial bench.