Somalia beefs up security, imposes flights ban ahead of presidential poll

The Somali Government, on Tuesday, announced a ban on flights arrival and departure from Mogadishu Airport and also beefed up security ahead of the Wednesday presidential elections.

The Transport and Civil Aviation Minister, Ali Ahmed Jama, informed travel agencies of the flights suspension as well as traffic movement in the capital during the elections.

“We inform travel agencies that flights at Aden Adde Airport will be suspended on Wednesday for the presidential election,’’Ahmed said.

The minister said that this would not affect other local airports in the country, as the election would take place only in the capital city.

According to him, all major roads in Mogadishu will be closed for two days till the conclusion of the election.

The Mogadishu Mayor, Yusuf Hussein Jimale, imposed a ban on traffic movement in Mogadishu to ensure security of the presidential elections.

The Horn of Africa nation, which has been under near daily attacks from the Al-Shabaab terror group, plans to curb disruption of the presidential elections.

Somali Parliament will elect a new president from 22 candidates including incumbent President Hassan Mohamud on Feb. 8.

In 2012, indirect presidential elections held in Somalia on Sept. 10. The new Federal Parliament elected President Mohamud, as the first President of Somalia since the dissolution of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG).

TFG was formed in 2004 with a mandate towards the establishment of a new constitution and a transition to a representative government.

Edited by: Fatima Sule/Yemi Idris-Aduloju
(NAN)