Somalia's parliament declared a three-month state of emergency amid heightened fears of a return of clan violence.
Members of parliament in the government's interim seat of Baidoa - its home until Ethiopian and Somali troops defeated Islamist fighter who controlled much of the south, voted 154 to two to ratify Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi's plan.
The government, which is seeking to install itself in the capital Mogadishu, faces a huge challenge to bring peace and security to the Horn of Africa nation, which has been without effective central rule since the 1991 ouster of a dictator.
"A three-month state of emergency has been passed. If the need arises for the government to extend the period then the president will have to ask parliament for approval," second deputy speaker Osman Elmi Boqore told parliament.
Residents fear Mogadishu could slide back into the anarchy that has gripped the city since 1991.
Yesterday, warlord gunmen tried to force their way inside the presidential palace and fought Somali troops.