Mogadishu, 16 October (H.S.): Somalia, located in the Horn of Africa, will hold its presidential election on May 15 next year, the country’s electoral commission announced on Thursday. Commission Chairman Abdikarim Ahmed Hassan said in a statement broadcast by the state broadcaster that elections to both the lower and upper houses of parliament would be held on April 15, 2027.

The current term of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was due to expire in May 2026. However, in March, lawmakers approved constitutional amendments that paved the way for an extension of his term by one year. The move drew criticism from opposition parties.

Somalia continues to face significant security challenges alongside its political difficulties. The government has been engaged in a nearly two-decade-long conflict against Al-Shabaab, an extremist organisation affiliated with Al-Qaeda.

With support from an African Union peacekeeping mission, Somali forces have pushed the group out of several areas. However, Al-Shabaab continues to maintain influence over large parts of the country’s rural regions.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar