Somali president receives mixed welcome in capital

MOGADISHU, Jan 9 (Reuters) Somalis in lawless Mogadishu greeted their long absent president, Abdullahi Yusuf, with a mixture of hope and disdain a day after he set foot in the capital for the first time since taking office in 2004.

His arrival in the capital capped a remarkable turn-around in the city rival Islamists ruled for six months before being ousted in an Ethiopian-led military offensive before New Year.

''Yusuf is our president. We welcome him,'' said resident Ali Nur. ''The country is in chaos. I see his arrival as timely and good for the country. He should work above clan lines if he wants to make history as the leader who united Somalis.'' Standing in the midst of several tanks and hundreds of Ethiopian and interim government soldiers armed with machine guns, Yusuf vowed today to restore stability to a city torn apart by the clan factionalism of its former warlord rulers.

''I came to help restore order,'' he told reporters in the dilapidated presidential residence Villa Somalia.

''The government could not re-locate to Mogadishu after its formation because of the warlords and later the Islamic courts.

Now that it's here in the capital city, we will strive to restore peace,'' said Yusuf, looking relaxed.

The interim government had been marooned in Baidoa, a south-central outpost, before the two-week war that drove out the Islamists. Before that, former Mogadishu warlords appointed ministers presented internal opposition to the government being installed on their turf.

Yusuf, a career soldier who took part in a failed 1978 coup attempt against dictator Mohamed Siad Barre, last ventured into Mogadishu in 1994.

But in recent years, he has avoided the capital where the former warlord is considered an outsider, wary of enemies made during his years in control of semi-autonomous Puntland.

PEACE HOPES Weary of the rattle of guns, street battles and heavy shelling that have plagued Mogadishu since warlords then Islamists ruled the coastal city, most locals hoped Yusuf would push for a new era of reconciliation and peace.

Diplomats say the government's legitimacy hinges on taming insecurity in Somalia and being able to function in Mogadishu.

Another resident, who asked not to be named, hoped Yusuf would put an end to the gun fire that reverberated overnight in the windy, clear skies of Mogadishu.

''People hope his arrival will improve security in the city,'' he said. ''I hope he will make life better for us and unite the nation to end years of mistrust.'' But some Somalis were sceptical about the effectiveness of a government they perceive as being propped up by Ethiopia.

Many oppose the government's threat to forcibly disarm residents if they refuse to hand in their guns, saying security in one of the world's most dangerous cities is not guaranteed.

Others scoffed when the government postponed its disarmament deadline, noting it lacked the manpower to enforce it.

A retired army officer who served alongside Yusuf feared the worst. ''When I heard Abdullahi Yusuf had arrived I got a serious headache,'' he said, asking not to be named. ''I know the man. I served with him. He wants to use our weapons against us.'' Reuters BDP GC2123