Image copyright Reuters Image caption The new president is known as Farmajo, from the Italian for cheese

Somalia's MPs have elected a Somali-US national as the country's new president in a vote held in an aircraft hangar.

Ex-Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi "Farmajo" Mohamed beat President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in a surprise result.

The vote was held at the heavily guarded airport complex in the capital, Mogadishu, as the rest of the country is too dangerous.

Traffic was banned and a no-fly zone imposed over the city to prevent attacks by militant Islamists.

Despite this, suspected militants fired mortar rounds close to the venue on Tuesday night.

Somalia has not had a one-person one-vote democratic election since 1969.

That vote was followed by a coup, dictatorship and conflict involving clan militias and Islamist extremists.

Mr Mohamed's election is part of a lengthy and complex process to help the East African state rebuild its democracy and achieve stability.

More than 20,000 African Union (AU) troops are stationed in Somalia to prevent militant Islamist group al-Shabab from overthrowing the weak government.

The new president is popularly known as "Farmajo", from the Italian for cheese, because of his love for the dairy product.

Much of Somalia was a former Italian colony.

What has been the reaction to the result?

Image copyright Amisom Image caption The aircraft hangar was crowded with MPs

Thousands of Somalis quickly took to the streets to celebrate Mr Mohamed victory and cheering soldiers from the Somali army fired into the air, the Associated Press news agency reports.

Mr Mohamed is seen as a Somali nationalist, and his chances of winning increased after Somalia's arch-rival, Ethiopia, was seen to be backing the defeated president.

Mr Mohamed obtained 184 votes, compared with 97 for the outgoing president, who accepted defeat, avoiding a third and final vote.

"History was made, we have taken this path to democracy, and now I want to congratulate Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo," Mr Mohamud said in his concession speech.

Did the election go off peacefully?

Yes. The election hall, a converted aircraft hangar packed with MPs, was at the Mogadishu international airport complex.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption A 60-second guide to the unique way Somalia is electing its new president

It is viewed as the most secure site in Somalia, as the main AU base is there.

The vote was moved to the airport complex from a police academy because of growing fears that al-Shabab could strike.

The 2012 presidential vote was held at the academy, and the 2007 and 2004 vote in neighbouring Kenya and Djibouti respectively.

Were there only male presidential candidates?

Yes.

A woman, Fadumo Dayib, had said she would stand but pulled out saying it was marred by corruption. However she has welcomed Mr Mohamed's victory.

More than 20 entered the race on Wednesday, but the number was reduced to two after two rounds of voting.

At least 16 of the original candidates have dual citizenship - nine hold US passports, four UK passports and three Canadian passports, according to a leading Somali private radio station.

Many Somalis obtained dual nationality after fleeing the decades-long conflict. The US, UK, Kenya and South Africa are among countries where many Somalis have settled.

How big a threat is al-Shabab?

The militants are suspected to have been behind a series of attacks on the eve of the vote, with two mortar rounds fired close to the voting venue.

Residents in Arbacow village outside Mogadishu say militants also attacked an AU base there.

Al-Shabab has a presence in much of the southern third of the country and has previously attacked the Somali parliament, presidential palace, courts, hotels and the fortified airport zone.

At least 19 politicians, as well as many civilians and soldiers, have been killed in its assaults.

Wednesday's security measures include a ban on flights to and from Mogadishu airport.

Who are al-Shabab?

What is the new president's main challenge?

Image copyright Reuters Image caption More than 250 MPs are taking part in the secret ballot

Apart from achieving stability in a country that has not had an functioning government since the fall of the Siad Barre regime in 1991, he has to tackle corruption.

Unconfirmed reports said votes were being sold for up to $30,000 (£24,000) in a country heavily funded by foreign donors, and where most people are poor.

"This is probably the most expensive election, per vote, in history,'' Mogadishu-based anti-corruption group Marqaati said on Tuesday, the Associated Press news agency reports.

Ahead of the vote, the United Nations' envoy to Somalia, Michael Keating, told the BBC the new president would have to tackle corruption.

"It sets the stage for the next president to do something about it. In fact the credibility of the next president will revolve around whether he takes decisive action," he said.

Analysts say holding the election at the airport complex is also aimed at reducing the possibility of vote buying or other corruption during the election process.

Will the UN and AU back the new president?

Yes. The UN and AU see the vote as a building block in efforts to create a stable democracy in the hope that the next president will be chosen in a one-person one-vote election.

Image copyright Reuters Image caption The security forces have taken up positions in the largely deserted city to prevent attacks

They cannot ignore Somalia. It is strategically important for international trade, as it lies along the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.

Foreign navies, including those of the US and China, have a strong presence in the region. They have succeeded in reducing piracy, which was a very big problem until a few years ago.

The US also has a huge military base in neighbouring Djibouti, using it to carry out air strikes on militants in Somalia.

Some analysts also fear that the conflict across the sea in Yemen could spill over into Somalia.

There have been reports that some groups are smuggling weapons into Yemen via the Eastern African state, increasing pressure on foreign powers to improve security in the region.</s>Mohamed Abdullahi, a Somali-U.S national, has been elected as the country’s new president in a vote held in an aircraft hangar.

Ex-Prime Minister, Mohamed, beat President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in what analysts described as a surprise result.

The vote was held at the heavily guarded airport complex in the capital, Mogadishu, due to security concerns.

After the first round of voting, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, was leading with 88 votes, followed by a former Prime Minister, Mohamed Abdulahi Mohamed, and then Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, after which voting proceeded to the second round.

Earlier, a former female presidential contestant, Fadumo Dayib, pulled out of the race, saying the system was unconstitutional and corrupt.</s>Mogadishu (HOL) – Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo will be the next President of the Federal Republic of Somalia.

Farmajo was second in the first round of voting, trailing behind Presidential incumbent Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. Sheikh Sharif Ahmed and Omar ABdirashid were neck and neck in the first round with 49 and 37 votes respectively.

In the second round of voting, Farmajo won an astounding 184 votes. His opponents, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Sheikh Sharif Ahmed trailed far behind and had a 119 combined votes.

Initially, a third round of voting was set to take place but minutes before the vote Hassan Sheikh Mohamud announced that he will gracefully concede the election to a roaring applause.</s>NAIROBI, Kenya—Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, a former Somali prime minister and dual Somalia-U.S. citizen, was elected president of Somalia Wednesday after two rounds of voting by the country’s newly selected parliament.

The outgoing president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, conceded defeat, in a sign that the war-ravaged nation can hope for a smooth transition of power.

Celebratory gunfire rang around the capital Mogadishu, which had...</s>In a surprising political upset, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Farmaajo was declared Somalia’s new president on Wednesday (Feb. 8). Farmaajo defeated the immediate former president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud following two rounds of voting by lawmakers in the capital city’s heavily fortified airport.

Farmaajo was a popular choice among Somalis across the world. The country doesn’t have universal suffrage so the president was picked by the country’s 329 lawmakers. Following the announcement, cheering crowds thronged the streets of the capital—and in the Somali-dominated neighborhood of Eastleigh in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

Farmaajo had previously been appointed the country’s prime minister in 2010 and stayed on the job for eight months. During his tenure, he reduced the size of the government, paid the military regularly and campaigned against corruption—moves that endeared him to many Somalis. After leaving the government, he went back to Buffalo, New York, where he worked for the state’s transportation department.

Farmaajo takes on the mantle of a fragile state that is deeply marred in political and socio-economic crises. The al-Qaeda-linked group, al-Shabaab, continues to pose a huge security threat, attacking government offices and private businesses. The United Nations also recently warned of a looming famine in the country, similar to the one that killed nearly 260,000 Somalis between 2010 and 2012.

After taking the oath of office, Farmaajo said his win represented the interests of the Somali people. “This victory belongs to Somali people, and this is the beginning of the era of the unity, the democracy of Somalia and the beginning of the fight against corruption.”

Sign up for the Quartz Africa Weekly Brief — the most important and interesting news from across the continent, in your inbox.</s>Mohamed Abdullahi, a Somali-U.S national, has been elected as the country’s new president in a vote held in an aircraft hangar. Ex-Prime Minister, Mohamed, beat President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in what analysts described as a surprise result. The vote was held at the heavily guarded airport complex in the capital, Mogadishu, due to security concerns. … Continue reading Somalia Election: Mohamed Abdullahi Emerges As President

The post Somalia Election: Mohamed Abdullahi Emerges As President appeared first on Channels Television.</s>Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, a former Somali prime minister and dual Somalia-U.S. citizen, was elected president of Somalia after two rounds of voting by the country’s newly selected parliament.</s>Somalia elects Abdullahi Mohamed Farmajo as new President in historic elections

Historic is the word for the recently concluded presidential elections in the Federal Republic of Somalia which declared Abdullahi Mohamed Farmajo as its new President.

The successful conduction of elections is extraordinary as the country is trying to assemble its first fully functional Central Government in a quarter-century.

14,000 elders and prominent regional figures chose 275 members of the Parliament and 54 Senators. These Parliamentarians cast their ballot (and not ordinary citizens) in the voting that began on Wednesday to choose the eventual winner.

Interestingly, Farmajo, who has previously served as the Prime Minister of the country, holds a dual Somali-United States citizenship.

The elections were held amidst tight security in a heavily-guarded former air force base at the capital, Mogadishu due to fear of the ongoing al-Shabab militant attacks. Allegedly, the process was rife with corruption, however, ‘a vote for Formajo is being considered a vote against corruption’.

Matt Bryden, chairman of Sahan Research and Development Organisation, a political think tank covering the horn of Africa, considered the elections as ‘an ad hoc political compromise agreed by Somalia political leaders.’ He told media reporters,“It tells us that we are in the midst of a long transition and in theory, based on the provisional constitution we should be having one-person-one-vote election this year, but that hasn’t been possible because of security constraints but also because the government did not focus on preparing the ground.”

The incumbent President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud conceded his defeat and applauded Abdullahi Farmajo on his election. He said, “History was made, we have taken this path to democracy, and now I want to congratulate Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo.”</s>Somalia’s Parliament elected former Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo as the country’s new president Wednesday.

Farmajo was declared victorious after incumbent Hassan Sheikh Mohamud dropped out of the contest following the second round of voting.

Amid rising security concerns, the 328 members of Parliament met at an air force hangar in Mogadishu to cast their votes.

Farmajo’s victory was greeted by celebratory gunfire in government-controlled areas of the country.

“Somalia moving forward towards progress,” tweeted the nation’s minister of foreign affairs, Abdusalam H. Omer, in reaction to Farmajo’s win.</s>A former prime minister who holds dual Somali-US citizenship has been declared Somalia’s new president.

Abdullahi Mohamed Farmajo was named the new leader after two rounds of voting on Wednesday and quickly took the oath of office.

“History was made, we have taken this path to democracy, and now I want to congratulate Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo,” Mohamud said.

The country is trying to put together its first fully functioning central government in a quarter-century.

The protracted vote began on Wednesday after 14,000 elders and prominent regional figures chose 275 members of parliament and 54 senators, who in turn chose whether to back Mohamud for a second term or one of 21 rivals.

Fears of attacks by al-Shabab, an armed group, limited the election to the country’s legislators, who voted at a heavily-guarded former air force base in the capital, Mogadishu.

Al Jazeera’s Mohammed Adow, reporting from the capital Mogadishu, said sources within the parliament had confirmed that huge sums of money were paid by some of the candidates and rival presidential candidates have accused each other of buying the loyalty of MPs, drawing furious denials.

“One member of the parliament told me that he received thousands from one of the presidential candidates,” he said.

“There is lot at stake here. This election is supposed to bring leadership that heals the country but if corruption plays an important role, many doubt whether Somalia is going to be on the right road.”

In 2012, just 135 elders picked the MPs, who chose the president.

“It tells us that we are in the midst of a long transition and in theory, based on the provisional constitution we should be having one-person-one-vote election this year, but that hasn’t been possible because of security constraints but also because the government did not focus on preparing the ground,” Matt Bryden, chairman of Sahan Research and Development Organisation, a political think tank covering the horn of Africa, told Al Jazeera.

“This is an ad hoc political compromise agreed by Somalia political leaders, which is simply a way of continuing a transition and giving us four more years in which to consolidate architecture of the new Somalia state.”

The airport, where the vote was taking place, was guarded by the African Union peacekeeping force AMISOM and is surrounded by high concrete barriers to protect it from attack.

UN agencies and foreign embassies were also located in the compound.

Al-Shabab, which ruled Somalia for several years, has been slowly driven out of its major strongholds in a campaign by AMISOM and Somali troops.

But its fighters continue to launch regular gun and bomb attacks in their bid to topple the government.
In a surprise result, former Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed is chosen as President.