UPDATE - Somali police announce curfew in capital ahead of presidential election

UPDATES WITH OPPOSITION CANDIDATES' WITHDRAWAL, ADDS ELECTION EXPLAINER

By Mohammed Dhaysane

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AA) - Citing security reasons, police in Somalia on Saturday announced a curfew in the capital Mogadishu ahead of the country's long-delayed presidential election scheduled for Sunday.

Abdifitah Aden Hassan, a police spokesman, said movement of people and traffic would not be allowed, adding that the curfew will last until 6:00 a.m. local time on Monday after the election results are announced.

A total of 329 lawmakers from both upper and lower houses of parliament will vote at a heavily guarded compound of the Aden Adde International Airport in the capital to elect the country’s new president on Sunday.

Forces of the African Union Transitional Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) will maintain the security of the election venue and have imposed a total lockdown in the area.

Besides political instability, the East African country faces an insurgency by al-Shabaab, a terrorist group linked to al-Qaeda.

On Wednesday, at least three people were killed and seven others wounded when a suicide bomb blast targeted a security checkpoint near the airport.

- Opposition candidates quit race

Former Information Minister Dahir Mohamud Gelle announced on Saturday afternoon his withdrawal from the presidential race.

Gelle, became the 3rd contender to withdraw his candidacy.

On Friday, former Internal Security Minister Abdikarin Hussein Guled also quit the race, throwing his support behind Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame, another opposition candidate.

- Election explainer

Somalia has been in the midst of its longest election process yet, due to its indirect clan-based system and political wrangling.

The country's 54 senators were elected by lawmakers from Federal States, while members of its lower legislative house were chosen by clan elders and civil society representatives. These lawmakers will jointly elect the next president.

A record number of presidential candidates have already registered to contest the election, among them two former presidents -- Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, who are seen by many as frontrunners.

The Horn of African country's presidential election is over a year and half behind schedule as sitting President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed has exceeded his constitutional mandate, triggering political tensions in the country that have occasionally flared up into armed clashes.