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The country's last universal suffrage or one person, one vote election took place in 1969.

Mr. Swan also noted that some of the country’s critical priorities include finishing the constitutional review process and addressing urgent needs for improved development, security, and the current drought.

On Monday, the UK's minister for Africa congratulated Mohamud, who ruled Somalia between 2012 and 2017 and is the first president to win a second term in the troubled Horn of Africa nation.

Ahead of the vote, Somalia's government announced a full curfew in the capital, Mogadishu, covering traffic and people, from Saturday at 9 pm (18:00 GMT) until Monday at 6 am (03:00 GMT).

Sunday’s presidential election will be contested by 37 candidates after two candidates withdrew from the race in support of Abdirahman Abdishakur, the former planning minister contesting the top seat.

The Candidates include outgoing President Farmajo, who faces stiff competition for re-election from former presidents Hassan Sheikh and Sharif Sheikh Ahmed as well as leading opposition contenders.

These lawmakers will now vote for a new president on Sunday, with incumbent Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, two of his predecessors, and an ex-prime minister among more than a dozen hopefuls.

Most of the hopefuls are from the opposition who want to unseat the incumbent who stayed in power beyond his four-year mandate after 15 months of illegal extension that led to street clashes in 2021.

Deni's slim plan, however, is to back either former President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud or Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame, whoever comes forward in the second round of the voting, to get the PM post.

The presidential candidates have been informed that they will leave their security escorts at Halane’s Madina gate, where VIP cars will be ready to take them to the Afisyoni hangar under AU troops’ protection.

According to a joint parliamentary committee tasked with organizing the election, the registration began on Sunday and will go on until Tuesday to give a chance to the remaining candidates, including Said Deni.

The election is marred by vote-buying and massive fraud comes as the country is facing a severe drought that put nearly half of the population [12 million] at risk of famine after three years of failed rains.