As Somalia prepares for a presidential election held in the capital Mogadishu for the first time in two decades, local people expressed hope that the ongoing political process will lead to a more stable condition in war-torn country.

So far more than three dozen candidates have announced their candidature and election committee of the newly-inaugurated Somali parliament set Sept. 10 as the date for the elections in which lawmakers will vote to choose the next Somali president.

So far nearly 10 candidates who met the criterion set for the presidential candidates have officially been registered for the elections. They include outgoing President and the Prime Minister.

Residents in the Somali capital voiced their views regarding the political activities currently taking place in their country.

"The changes by the government are one which I fully support and I think the future of our country will be bright and prosperous," Ayanle Arab Hassan, a resident told Xinhua.

There is a lot of optimism in Somalia as the country gears up for the presidential elections. Businesses have been reopening and Somalis in the Diaspora have been returning to start businesses.

Hassan Abdi Mohamed, a local businessman, said the elections could lead to a more stable Somalia and said what is happening in the country now marks a "new dawn" in Somalia politics.

"I think this is a new dawn for the future of our country and I hope the new president to be one who saves this country and helps return the Somali refugees throughout the world and works for the development of the country. That is because conferences held inside the country are better than those held abroad. I also hope this will lead to a stable politics that stabilizes and unifies the country," Mohamed told Xinhua.

Bile Isak Farah, another resident agreed, saying this is the best time Somalia has been through for the past two decades.

"The elections in Somalia this time, I believe, are the best we have had for the past 21 years because we have not seen similar politics in this country for the past two decades. This is something we should thank God for and be proud of and is something that could lead to more stability, development and prosperity," Farah said.

Security has been improving in Mogadishu for the past year which made it possible for the holding of elections in the capital for the first time in more than two decades.

Abdulahi Abdi Hussein said the fact that talks and elections are being held here in Mogadishu speaks volumes in its own right and shows how far the country has come.

"I see this as a victory for the people because this will bring a lot of changes in the country. There are less division, mutual suspicions and the practice of holding peace talks in Nairobi, in Addis Ababa and In Djibouti is over. The most important thing for me is that this time peace talks are held in Mogadishu," Hussein said.

All the previous peace talks between Somalia's rival factions were held outside the country as security situation did not allow such talks to take place within the war-ravaged country.

Following the election of the Somalia's next president, local residents hope that their lives will be positively affected by the changes and that the current relative stability in the capital could be improved further and spread to other parts of the country.