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Government announces two days holiday as MPs gather Wednesday to elect new president

Storyline:National News
A lawmaker casts vote during the election of Lower House speaker last month. The government has announced two days national holiday as MPs elect new president tomorrow. File Photo: Goobjoog News
A lawmaker casts vote during the election of Lower House speaker last month. The government has announced two days national holiday as MPs elect new president tomorrow. File Photo: Goobjoog News

Somali government has declared two days of public holiday as the country heads for presidential election tomorrow.

Deputy Minister for Labour Osman Libah Ibrahim said announced Tuesday and Wednesday as public holidays even as security forces lock down the city for the poll.

“We are announcing February 7th and 8th as public holiday. We ask all the government workers to rest and stay their homes until the presidential election takes place,” said Ibrahim.

Major roads within the city have been blocked with both public and private vehicles advised to use alternative roads. All the 23 candidates are expected to converge in the city tonight ahead of tomorrow’s poll which has drawn both local and international attention.

Residents said security forces were deployed overnight in all streets leading to the airport from the rest of the city.

At least 328 lawmakers will participate in the election with the absence of one MP from Jubbaland whose election in a rerun yesterday was contested by the Federal Indirect Electoral Implementation Team.