Gabbal Posted October 14, 2004 New Somalia President Takes Office The Nation (Nairobi) October 14, 2004 Posted to the web October 14, 2004 Mburu Mwangi Nairobi Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, 67, has taken office as Somalia's first president after 13 years without a central government. Nigerian President Olesegun Obasanjo, the current chair of the Africa Union, led about 10 representatives of various African and Middle East countries to witness the occasion. Presidents, Prime Ministers, Vice Presidents and other government representatives had jetted into Nairobi early today for the ceremony. Kenya has laid out the red carpet for the new President of Somalia and mounted a glittering swearing-in ceremony in Nairobi. Mr Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, 67 and a former army officer, was elected as united Somalia's new head of State as the culmination of a 14-year crusade by Kenya to help unite the war-torn country. And Mr Ahmed will arrive at his swearing-in today in style... in a Sh12 million Mercedes Benz provided for him by the Kenya Government as part of his trappings as a new Head of State. Somalia has been without a central government since the fall of Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991 and instead has been ruled by factional leaders, each in charge of his own part of the country. Now lasting peace in Somalia, Kenya hopes, will bring with it regional stability, and enhance law and order in Kenya as the supply of illegal guns from Somalia is finally brought under control. Mr Ahmed was elected on Sunday, gaining 189 votes against Dr Abdullahi Adow, a former diplomat and Cabinet minister, who got 79 in a run-off. They were trailed by faction leader Mohammed Qanyareh Ahmed. The votes were cast by the 275 Somali MPs who were also elected in Nairobi. The swearing in of the new president will start at 11am at Kasarani, and is expected to be attended by President Kibaki, Nigeria's President Olusegun Obasanjo, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, President Paul Kagame (Rwanda) and President Domitien Ndayizeye (Burundi). President Ismael Guelleh of Djibouti and President Ali Abdalla Saleh of Yemen are also expected to attend. Several other representatives from foreign countries are expected to attend and will start arriving at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, from 8am. To ensure Mr Ahmed has the status of a president, just one day before he was elected, the Kenya Government went shopping - and bought him his new specially modified Mercedes from local dealers DT Dobie. They also provided him with three other Mercedes for his escort, from President Kibaki's car pool, and a high security mansion in Kileleshwa, Nairobi, to use as his new State House. In addition they seconded to the new president a contingent of experienced bodyguards from the elite Recce unit of the GSU. The gift of the Mercedes - a top of the range model S320 - and the provision of all the other trappings of power were the final part of Kenya's 14-year crusade to help find a lasting peace for her North-Eastern neighbour. It is hoped Kenya will recoup the cash, however, from the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (Igad), which has borne the expenses of the peace talks. The new Mercedes for President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed has GK number plates. Immediately after he was elected, he was given presidential style security by President Kibaki, who then feted him at State House, Nairobi. And at Kasarani today, the United Nations will also be represented in a move seen as giving the new president and his government international acceptance and recognition. The president will be sworn in by his country's parliamentary speaker, Mr Shariff Aden, who also on his swearing-in a few weeks ago was provided with an official GK Mercedes and an escort car. His rooms at the five-star Grand Regency Hotel are also provided with GK security. Mr Aden was living modestly in Nairobi's South B suburb until his election as speaker. He also has an office in the Kenya College of Communication Technology in Mbagathi. The minister for East African and Regional Co-operation, Mr John Koech, said they expected the new government to move to Somalia as soon as possible; probably in the next six weeks. But it was understood that for lack of infrastructure in the capital, Mogadishu, the new government will move first to Baidoa, a small city about 200 kilometres from Mogadishu, where the infrastructure is said to be reasonably sound. After the new president is sworn in, the IGAD summit will discuss ways of seeking volunteer troops to keep peace in Somalia by disarming those militiamen still on the ground. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AYOUB Posted October 14, 2004 "And Mr Ahmed will arrive at his swearing-in today in style... in a Sh12 million Mercedes Benz provided for him by the Kenya Government as part of his trappings as a new Head of State. They also provided him with three other Mercedes for his escort, from President Kibaki's car pool, and a high security mansion in Kileleshwa, Nairobi, to use as his new State House. To ensure Mr Ahmed has the status of a president, just one day before he was elected, the Kenya Government went shopping - and bought him his new specially modified Mercedes from local dealers DT Dobie. The gift of the Mercedes - a top of the range model S320 - and the provision of all the other trappings of power were the final part of Kenya's 14-year crusade to help find a lasting peace for her North-Eastern neighbour. The new Mercedes for President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed has GK number plates. The president will be sworn in by his country's parliamentary speaker, Mr Shariff Aden, who also on his swearing-in a few weeks ago was provided with an official GK Mercedes and an escort car." PRODUCT PLACEMENT AFRICAN STYLE! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JustCause Posted October 14, 2004 Do I see a lot of envy here or is it just my eyes deceiving me????? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Som@li Posted October 14, 2004 Waxaa shalay Madaxweynaha Keenya uu Guddoonsiiyey Madaxweynaha Jamhuuriyadda Feedaraaliga ah ee Soomaaliya Baabuur kuwa Madaxweynayaashu in aay ku dakeeyaan loogu talogalay oo noociisu yahay Mercedes Benz ,baabuurkaas oo qiimihiisu yahay 12 Milyan oo shilinka Keenyaanka ah ,Waxaa dowladda Keenya Horay ugu deeqday Baabuur Mercedes ah Guddoomiyaha Baarlamaanka Shariif aadan. Madaxweyne Cabdullahi Yusuf wuxuu xafladda Maanta lagu dharinayo la imaandoonaa oo soo qaadidoona baabuurka Cusub oo loogu deeqay ,wuxuuna Madaxweyne Cabdullahi marka uu soo galayo Garoonka ku dulsocondoonaa sida Madaxweynayaasha kale Katiifado guduud ah oo dhulka lagu googley . Xafladda Dhaartu waxaay ka bilabanaysaa kasarani saacaddu marka aay tahay 11am,waxaana Xafladdas imaandoona Kibaki Madaxweynaha Keenya,Olusegun Obasanjo Madaxweynaha Nigeria,Yoweri Museveni Madaxweynaha Uganda,PaulKagame Madaxweynaha Rwanda,Domitien Ndayizeye Madaxweynaha Burundi Ismaciil Cumar Gelle Madaxweynaha Jabuuti,Cali Cabdalla Saalax Madaxweynaha Yaman,waxaa kale oo ka soo qaybgalaya Wakiilo mathalaya dalalkooda waxaana martidaasi aay 8 subaxnimo ka soo degayaan Gagida Caalamiga ah eeDayaaradaha ee Jomo Kenyatta. Madaxweynaha Somaaliya oo lasiiyey maamuus buuxa waxaa loo sameeyey ilaalo joogto ah ee ka socota ciidanka sida khaaska ah u tababaran ee Keenya (Elite Recce Unit Of GSU). Mar uu Mr. John Koech oo ah Wasiirka Iskashiga Bariga Afrika saxaafadda uu waramayeey wuxuu sheegay in dawladda Keenya aay rajeeynayso in Dawladda Cusub ee Soomaaliya aay dalkii dib ugu noqondoonto si dhaqso ah isaga oo saadaaliyey in lix usbuuc gudahood dibunoqoshadaasi in aay dhacdo . Iyada oo aan wali caasimadda Muqdishow nabadgalyadeedu wali sugnayn waxaa la filayaa in intii muddo ah in si meel kugaar ah dawladda cusub iyo madaxweynuhu xarun ka dhigtaan magaalada Baydhabo oo 200 oo Km u jirta Magaalada Muqdishow. Marka ay ka qaybgalaan dharta Madxweynaha kaddib ,Madaxweynayaasa IGAD waxaay galayaan shir aay uga hadlayaan sidii Soomaaliya loogayn lahaa ciidamo nabad ilalin iyo hubkadhigid isugu jira. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Som@li Posted October 14, 2004 ^^^^ Pre. Abdullahi Yusuf and First Lady Hawa Abdi Samatar Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jumatatu Posted October 14, 2004 For Kibaki to give a Benz he must have made a 'big ugali' along the way. Genorousity is not in the vocabularly of a 'atarere' president. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OG_Girl Posted October 14, 2004 Oooooh so sweet couple. I loved the idea somali guy in his age keeps his old wife. I thought they marry young girl to show off their last few days..lol Salam Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
raula Posted October 14, 2004 JUMATATU For Kibaki to give a Benz he must have made a 'big ugali' along the way. Genorousity is not in the vocabularly of a 'atarere' president. loooooool..hada waxaad usodhigatay kikuyus eh..lol.-true though. BENZ and KILELESHWA should be my future dream! Maze this dude ana enjoy tayari eh..I guess lazima sasa ni fanye mpango nijitayarishie some form of seat in the MINISTRY of HEALTH..but I would prefer a SUZUKI in NGONG HILLS Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BN Posted October 14, 2004 Originally posted by AYOUB_SHEIKH: PRODUCT PLACEMENT AFRICAN STYLE! As long as it's all free... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AYOUB Posted October 15, 2004 Originally posted by Jumatatu: For Kibaki to give a Benz he must have made a 'big ugali' along the way. Genorousity is not in the vocabularly of a 'atarere' president. "The new Mercedes for President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed has GK number plates." Originally posted by JustCause: Do I see a lot of envy here or is it just my eyes deceiving me????? Envy Shmevy! I could murder tens of thousands for a Merc like that, wouldn't you Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites