MOGADISHU, Dec 25 - Residents of Somalia's capital Mogadishu voted on Thursday in municipal elections meant to pave the way for the East African country's first direct national polls in more than half a century.

With the exception of votes in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland and the breakaway region of Somaliland, Somalia last held direct elections in 1969, months before military general Mohamed Siad Barre took power in a coup.