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| Somali MPs electing new president | |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| Somali members of parliament are voting to elect a new president in a secret ballot in Djibouti. | |
| Frontrunners from a field of at least 14 candidates include Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein and moderate Islamist leader Sheikh Sharif Ahmed. | Frontrunners from a field of at least 14 candidates include Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein and moderate Islamist leader Sheikh Sharif Ahmed. |
| MPs are meeting in Djibouti because of instability in Somalia, where Islamist militias control much of the country. | MPs are meeting in Djibouti because of instability in Somalia, where Islamist militias control much of the country. |
| The election comes after the resignation of President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed in December. | The election comes after the resignation of President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed in December. |
| This week, 149 new opposition members from the Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia (ARS), which is led by Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, were sworn in to parliament. | This week, 149 new opposition members from the Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia (ARS), which is led by Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, were sworn in to parliament. |
| But the Islamist al-Shabab militia says it will not recognise the new government. SOMALIA'S ANARCHY 1.3 million displaced3.5 million need food aid - 43% of the populationNo central government since 1991 Somali presidential profiles 'I'm not afraid of al-Shabab'Q&A: Somali presidential elections | But the Islamist al-Shabab militia says it will not recognise the new government. SOMALIA'S ANARCHY 1.3 million displaced3.5 million need food aid - 43% of the populationNo central government since 1991 Somali presidential profiles 'I'm not afraid of al-Shabab'Q&A: Somali presidential elections |
| For the presidential election, each candidate was expected to present $2,000, a CV and official documents. | For the presidential election, each candidate was expected to present $2,000, a CV and official documents. |
| The new head of state is due to be sworn in on Saturday. | The new head of state is due to be sworn in on Saturday. |
| He is then expected to fly to the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa for an African Union summit. | He is then expected to fly to the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa for an African Union summit. |
| Parliament is meant to relocate from Djibouti to the Somali capital Mogadishu within days. | Parliament is meant to relocate from Djibouti to the Somali capital Mogadishu within days. |
| But Mogadishu is facing an insurgency and there are not enough AU peacekeeping troops to protect all the MPs, correspondents say. | But Mogadishu is facing an insurgency and there are not enough AU peacekeeping troops to protect all the MPs, correspondents say. |
| It is thought that some will stay in Djibouti and others will relocate to Kenya. | It is thought that some will stay in Djibouti and others will relocate to Kenya. |
| Al-Shabab militiamen control the former seat of parliament, Baidoa, and many other parts of central and southern Somalia. | Al-Shabab militiamen control the former seat of parliament, Baidoa, and many other parts of central and southern Somalia. |
| Somalia has not had a functioning central government since 1991, and the northern regions of Somaliland and Puntland have broken away to govern themselves. | Somalia has not had a functioning central government since 1991, and the northern regions of Somaliland and Puntland have broken away to govern themselves. |
| Tens of thousands of people have been killed in successive waves of violence. | Tens of thousands of people have been killed in successive waves of violence. |
| More than a million people have fled their homes. | More than a million people have fled their homes. |
| And 43% of the population - 3.5 million - need food aid, donors say. | And 43% of the population - 3.5 million - need food aid, donors say. |