Da'ud Aweys, Somali President’s spokesman, confirmed the replacement of Mr Hussein, who has been criticized for being corrupt. His removal comes a few weeks after he turned down a request by the United Nations, which sought the government’s approval to close the toll road leading to the Mogadishu International Airport. The UN is located along this road and the move was designed to prevent possible attacks targeting its headquarters. Hussein’s move effectively annulled an earlier approval by the Somali Security Minister, Abdirizak Omar Mohamed.The mayor’s security officers have also dismantled barricades and blast walls erected on the airport road which were meant to to close road. Critics also point out that the mayor’s removal may have been a result of factional dispute within government