For the first time in decades, Somalia is voting directly.

Although the country has been dealing with Islamist insurgencies, residents in the capital city of Mogadishu are queuing up at polling stations despite tight security and an airport shutdown.

This historic shift marks the end of years of indirect voting, a system that was established in 1969 to promote consensus among rival clans.

While many celebrate the opportunity to elect their leaders, critics fear the centralization of power.