Mogadishu, Somalia - In a crucial step towards ensuring fair and accurate election coverage, the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) and the National Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission of Somalia (NIEBC) have trained 102 journalists on election coverage, safety, and countering disinformation. This specialized training, held on December 16-17, 2025, was a collaborative effort to empower journalists ahead of the Banadir Regional Council elections, which are set to begin on Thursday in Mogadishu. The event was a significant milestone in promoting media integrity and public trust in the electoral process.
The training covered a wide range of topics, including professional election coverage, journalist safety, and the critical skills needed to identify and combat disinformation and misinformation. Participants included reporters, editors, and media professionals from both private and state-owned media outlets, representing 27 mainstream media organizations accredited to cover the elections. The two-day program provided a unique opportunity for journalists to engage directly with the Electoral Commission, gaining firsthand knowledge of electoral guidelines, rules, and procedures.
Key aspects of the training focused on the organizational structure of the electoral process and its implementation on the ground. Journalists were briefed on best practices for covering elections professionally, independently, and fairly, with a strong emphasis on accuracy, balance, and public-interest reporting. The sessions also addressed the safety and security challenges journalists face during election periods, often high-risk environments for media workers. The responsibilities of authorities in protecting journalists and the role of media professionals in minimizing risks were discussed, along with practical strategies for identifying, verifying, and countering disinformation and misinformation.
NUSOJ Secretary General Omar Faruk Osman emphasized the importance of this training, stating that it was both timely and necessary. He highlighted the need to strengthen journalists' professional capacity, enhance their safety awareness, and equip them with the skills to detect and counter disinformation and misinformation. Osman also stressed the importance of journalists being able to independently and fairly reflect diverse and opposing views without fear or interference, and the critical role of access to accurate and timely official information in fulfilling their responsibilities.
The training was followed by a meeting between NUSOJ leadership, the Somali Media Women Association (SOMWA), and the Chairperson of the NIEBC, Abdikarim Ahmed Hassan. They discussed concrete measures to ensure journalist safety, security, and unhindered access to information throughout the electoral process. The NIEBC chairperson, alongside the Somali Federal Police Commissioner and his deputy, as well as the Banadir Regional Police Commissioner, announced at a press conference that the safety of journalists is 'fully guaranteed' and that media professionals will have unrestricted access during the elections.
Despite these assurances, the Banadir Regional Council elections face strong opposition from Somalia's main opposition coalition, the Somali Salvation Forum. They have described the process as neither free nor fair and have accused the government of orchestrating a one-sided, one-party exercise. The controversy surrounding the elections highlights the ongoing challenges in ensuring a transparent and democratic electoral process in Somalia.
