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Mogadishu on security lockdown for president inauguration

Wednesday February 22 2017

The Somalia capital Mogadishu is under a security lockdown Wednesday ahead of the president’s inauguration.

Schools, businesses and all roads were closed and commercial flights suspended with only vehicles carrying security agents and dignitaries attending president-elect Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed’s swearing in ceremony allowed to move.

The inauguration is taking place at a heavily guarded airport zone for fear of Al Shabaab attack.

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A fortnight ago, the capital was in another security lockdown as Somali lawmakers gathered at an airport hangar to vote for the president. Mr Mohamed, better known as Farmajo, won the election.

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Regional heads of state and government, especially from troops-contributing countries under the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom), are expected to attend the inauguration.

Djibouti’s President Ismail Omar Guelleh and Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn were among the first to arrive in Mogadishu on Wednesday. Delegations from Kuwait and Egypt have also arrived.

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