Somali ambassador to Kenya Mohamed Ali Noor says the book will be open to all diplomats in Kenya and the Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Minister wishing to sign it in memory of the fallen leader, Abdullhai Yussuf Ahmed.

The book of condolence will remain open for a week as the country mourns the death of the former president who died at a hospital in Abu Dhabi last Friday.

The Somali flag at all Somalia missions abroad and inside the country will also fly at half-mast as a mark of respect until after the seven-day mourning period.

Yussuf died on February 23 aged 77 at Sheikh Zayed hospital in UAE after long illness and was later laid to rest on Sunday at his native hometown, Galkayo, Mudug region.

He was the first president of Somalia’s interim government after he was chosen as president by a parliament set up in 2004 after years of peace talks in the neighbouring Kenya.

He resigned in December 2008 after a fierce power struggle with his then Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein, who was backed by parliament after Mr .Yussuf tried to sack him.

During his burial, Yussuf was accorded a State funeral with reports of unknown number of gun salutes in Galkayo during the burial procession.

President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed led the nation in paying tribute to the fallen leader earlier on Sunday.