MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somalia’s southern state of Jubaland has bought its own private airplane for $2 million from South Sudan after the Mogadishu-based government had imposed travel ban all flights to Kismayo.

The jet made its first trip by carrying politicians from Kenya’s capital to Kismayo without stopping-over at Mogadishu airport as demanded by the Federal government of Somalia.

Kismayo, a town lies some 500km in the south of the Somali capital, Mogadishu.

The move also broke government’s previous orders forcing all flights to Kismayo to route via Mogadishu airport

The vice president of Jubaland Mohamud Sayid Aden says its new airplane would take all politicians and dignitaries willing to attend the region’s presidential inauguration.

Former regional leaders of Southwest Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden and Galmudug Abdikarim Hussein Guled and several lawmakers were traveling on the plane from Nairobi to Kismayo.

This comes as the government of Somalia suspended former president Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed to fly to Kismayo while he was trying to attend Madobe’s presidential inauguration.