Chechen leader to visit Mecca before taking office

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov is on a journey to Mecca (Saudi Arabia) for Hajj, the Muslim pilgrimage, before taking office as head of the republic for the second term, RIA Novosti cites the website of Kadyrov.

The Chechen parliament approved Kadyrov as Chechen leader unanimously on March 5, 2011. Kadyrov was nominated by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

The inauguration of Kadyrov will be held in Grozny on April 5. He will stay in power for 5 years. Kadyrov first became the Chechen leader on March 2, 2007, for four years.

Kadyrov arrived in Saudi Arabia from the United Arab Emirates. He also made Hajj before his first inauguration in 2007.