by Omar M. Mohamed
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Abdirizak H. Hussein was Prime Minister of Somalia from 14 June 1964 to 15 July 1967.
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The Middle Government or the Government of Abdirizak, as it was popularly know, was a test of democracy in the Somali Republic. Abdirizak Haji Hussein tried to steer the wheels of government into a new direction. He strongly believed that Somalia’s political and diplomatic future can be best served through the English language medium. The former Government, in his view, was hampered in development and isolated by the Italian language. The diplomatic world spoke and understood English.
This history piece will illustrate his struggle to break that isolation and lead the Republic into political and diplomatic maturity. As you shall witness many changes happened during his government that will have a lasting effect in the Somali political life. For example the major SYL party crumbled and broke up. Prominent members were either expelled or left the Party on their own and in their place took new members who were merely driven self interest. The political and constitutional crisis generated in this era spilled into the 1969 election and as a result the military coup.
The 1964 General Elections
The 1964 general elections of the Somali Republic were held on March 30th. Twenty-one political parties submitted their nominations list of 973 candidates for 123 deputies in the National Assembly. It was the first political election to be held since the July 1960 independence.
On April 3rd the results were announced as follows:
Somali Youth League (SYL) won 69 seats;
Somali National Congress (SNC) won 22 seats;
Somali Democratic Union (SDU) won 15 seats;
Somali Independent Constitutional Party (HDMS) won 9 seats;
Other small political Parties shared 8 seats. (1)
The SYL for the first time gained 12 seats in the Northern Regions and the opposition SNC took 11 seats in the Southern Regions. The Somali Youth League held 83 seats in the last parliament. Neither the SNC nor the SDU were then established as political parties.
When the results were officially announced, 12 deputies from various parties crossed the line and joined the Somali Youth League Party bringing the total number of SYL deputies an absolute majority of 81deputies.
The first business of the National Assembly when it convened for the first time in May the 27th was to elect a speaker. The Assembly unanimously elected Deputy Ahmed Sh. Mohamed Absiye a deputy from Berbera as president of the Somali National Assembly.
Two weeks after, the President of the Republic Aden Abdulle Osman speaking about the recent general elections in the country said in a broadcast: “logically, not everyone can be satisfied because there are clashes of many interests, and this may have been the cause of the nation not being completely satisfied and happy. There is one thing which requires to be considered, and that is that an aggrieved man will achieve nothing through force. If anyone feels that he is being denied his rights, there is a system in place - he should appeal to the Supreme Court and await its verdict. It is fruitless to arouse passions or incite trouble. (2)
Somali Youth League Party Policy:
Somali Youth League Party enjoying an absolute majority in the National Assembly outlined its policy. In a statement issued the next day it said that the Party and the Government will adopt a positive policy in seeking the liberation and complete re-unification of all Somalis, so that the Somali Nation will come into one unified entity, in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic, which stipulates that the entire Somali Nation should be united under one flag and one parliament.
On foreign policy, the statement said the government to be formed will practice and support positive neutrality and non-alignment in the cold-war struggle. The Party supports the resolutions of the Lagos, Addis Ababa, and Dar-e-Salaam conferences of the OAU.
“We are opposed to imperialism in any form and call for its downfall,” the statement said, “Imperialism, which comes in many colors includes the Apartheid policy practiced by the evil fascist government of South Africa, and the merciless imperialism practiced by Portugal in Angola, Mozambique and other enslaved colonies.”(3)
New Prime Minister Appointed
In accordance with the constitution, the President of the Republic on June 6, 1964 invited Hon. Abdirizak Haji Hussein, a deputy from Garowe and a member of the SYL party to form a new government. Mr. Abdirizak H. Hussein succeeds Mr. Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke who held office since independence in 1960 till the March 30 General Elections.
In a press conference, the new Prime Minister accepting the invitation said, “ I will make an attempt, and if it goes the way I want, very well; otherwise I will resign and give back the honour and the responsibility invested in me…”(4)
SYL Support the New PM:
The executive and parliamentary group of the majority party Somali Youth League issued another statement on June 11, declaring that they support the President of the Republic’s decision and that deputy Abdirizak Haji Hussein should become the head of the new government.
“Although we at first proposed that Hon. Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke should become the Prime Minister of the new government,” the statement said, “we have decided, however, after considering the present political situation in the republic, to support the President of the republic’s decision.”(5)
The Prime Minister:
Abdirizak Haji Hussein Hassan was born in the Ethiopian-occupied Haud area in Western Somalia c. 1924. He was educated in the Italian Somaliland. He was a member of the British Army from 1942-47 following the British Military occupation in Italian Somaliland after the war. On the assumption of the Italian Trusteeship in 1950 he was detained as a political prisoner because he was opposed to the return of Italy in Somaliland. He was elected to president of the Somali Youth League in 1955. In 1957, the Italian Administrator in the trust territory of Somaliland under Italian administration appointed Mr. Abdirizak H. Hussein president of the University Institute in Mogadishu. At the Republic’s independence in July 1960 he was named Interior Minister; and then following the government reshuffle in November 1962 he become Minister of Public Works and Communications, a post he held until the 1964 general elections.
New Government:
On June 15 Hon. Abdirizak Haji Hussein formed a new government.
Prime Minister - Abdirizak Hagi Hussein.
Foreign Affairs - Ahmed Yusuf Dualeh (Deputy from Gabiley)
Interior - Abdulkadir Mohamed Adan “Zope” (Deputy from Bur Hakaba)
Defence - Adan Issaq Ahmed (Deputy from Borama)*
Finance - Awil H. Abdullahi Farah (Deputy from Erigabo)
Justice - Ali Omar Shegow (Deputy from Brawe)
Health & Labor - Abdullahi Issa Mohamud (Deputy from Beled Weyne)
Education - Kenadid Ahmed Yusuf (Deputy from Bardhere)
Information - Yusuf Aden Mohamed “Bokah” (Deputy from Erigabo)**
Agriculture - Mohamud Issa Jama (Deputy from Hargeisa)
Transport & Communications- Sh. Abdulle Mohamud (Deputy from Dhusa Mareb)
Commerce and Industry - Osman Mohamud Adde (Deputy from Iskushuban)
Somali Affairs - Sh. Mohamud Mohamed Farah “Malingur” (Deputy from Afmadow) (6)
* crossed the line from SNC to SYL.
** crossed the line from USP to SYL.
After the ceremony the Prime Minister addressed the new cabinet.
“This government is different from the previous ones because it is new and because it is formed from a new National Assembly. I chose and appoint you as members of the cabinet to run this country on the basis of the ability, qualifications and merits of each one of you, since these are the conditions required for the government to function and prove its capabilities to the Somali nation. I also acted on the authorization given to me by the majority party (SYL) on June 6 to form a government after having judged each man’s qualifications and merits. The Party statement indicated the government I was to form has the support of the Party’s Parliamentary Group.
It is, I believe, notorious throughout the Somali Republic that once a man becomes a minister, he works for self-interest and ambitions, and for his clan, relatives or constituents. This is irrefutable and all Somalis are aware that there is tribalism in the Somali Republic today, deeply entrenched tribalism fomented by men working for their own interests. Our duty today is to show to all Somalis how we shall stomp out tribalism…
The law and regulations must be above us, since the government – and everyman, no matter what position he holds – must respect and work under the law. If we do this, then there is no doubt that we shall succeed and become a good government and men popular with the masses.
I ask you to declare to me personally and in writing all the property you own before you assume office. This measure would give the public confidence that the government is not working for self-interest, nor that the ministers are disposing of public funds for their own interests or ambitions, but that they are loyal men working for the nation.” (7)
Government Fall down:
It is worth noting that only the Prime Minister, Minister of the Interior and Minister of Health and Labour held ministerial posts in the former government. The rest were either new to the National Assembly or never held major posts. Also half of the cabinet members were from the North. In addition, the big portfolios of Foreign, Defence and Finance were allotted to the North. This created a major disagreement among the parliamentary members. In the parliament there were many who believed that the Northern deputies were inexperienced and are incapable of handling such major portfolios.
As a result, on July 14, a vote of no confidence in the newly formed government was passed in the National Assembly by 59 to 57 votes. Accordingly, the Prime Minister Mr. Abdirizak Haji Hussein handed President Aden Abdulle Osman the resignation of his government. The President of the republic asked Mr. Hussein to continue in office until a new Prime Minister is appointed.
SYL punishes party descent:
The Somali youth League Central Committee at a meeting on July the 16th passed a resolution expelling the SYL secretary-general Mr. Yassin Nur Hassan and three other parliamentary members from the party on the grounds that they had refused to abide by the decision of the party which advised members of the parliamentary group to give their vote of confidence to the Prime Minister and his government. The SYL Central Committee on the same day appointed Mr. Mohamed Sh. Gabyow as provincial secretary-general of the Somali Youth League.
Hon. Hussein is re-appointed:
After some house cleaning by the SYL Party, President Aden Abdulle Osman on August 6 again asked Hon. Abdirizak Haji Hussein to form another government. The Prime Minister agreed to the president’s request “with reservations.” In an interview by Radio Mogadishu, the Prime minister denied rumours that his government failed to secure the vote of confidence because it was pro-western. He re-affirmed that his new government would be one of non-alignment.
Mr. Hussein forms a second government:
The Prime minister appointed his new government on August 31st. The only changes from those announced on June 15 are:
Justice - Abdirahman Haji Mumin. (Deputy from Bulo Burte)
Agriculture - Ismail Duale Warsame. (Deputy from Buhodle)*
Planning - Ali Omar Shegow.
Min. of State - Mohamud Abdi Nur. (Deputy from Baydhabo)** (8)
*crossed the line from SNC to SYL.
** later replaced Sh. Abdulle Mohamoud as Minister of Transport & Communications.
Clearly, the Prime Minister stood firm on his ground and the three challenged portfolios remained unchanged. Deputy Mohamud Isse Jama was sacrificed and two new deputies were added in the cabinet.
This second government received a vote of confidence in the National Assembly on September 27 by 91 to 23 votes. Ironically, former Prime Minister, Hon. Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke abstained.
SYL Congress elects a new Secretary- General:
The Somali Youth League Party Congress met on October 30th and elected the Prime Minister Mr. Abdirizak Haji Hussein to be the new Secretary-General of the party. He obtained 125 of the 151 votes cast. This made him at the helm of both the ruling Party and the Government.
Motion to replace the Speaker:
The Somali Parliamentary Standing Committee agreed at the end of February 1965 to a proposal by 51 members of the SYL Parliamentary group that an extraordinary session of Parliament be called to debate the removal of the Speaker of the National Assembly Hon. Ahmed Sh. Mohamed Absiye. Mr. Absiye was simply accused of acts “contrary to the SYL Party programme”.
A week after the motion, Parliament by a vote of 85 to 33 with one abstention removed the Speaker. Hon. Shiekh Mukhtar Mohamed, a deputy from Baidoa, was subsequently elected as Speaker with 69 voted. The opposition SNC candidate, Hon. Mohamed H. Ibrahim Egal obtained 42 votes. The Somali Youth League nominee Hon. Rashid Sultan Abdullahi was elected vice-speaker.
New Commander- in- chief appointed:
One month after the change in parliamentary leadership disaster strikes the nation. On April 19, 1965 General Daud Abdulle Hersi, the well respected and mild mannered Commander-in-chief of the Somali Armed Forces, died in Moscow. After a long illness General Daud was first flown to Rome, Italy for medical treatment. He was later taken to the Soviet Union were he died.
The Council of Ministers in an emergency session, on June 24, 1965, appointed the Deputy Commander-in-chief of the Somali National Army, Colonel Mohamed Siyad Barre to become the new Commander-in-Chief and was promoted to Brigadier General.
Government changes:
The Government of Abdirizak H. Hussein was in power for two years. It has made many changes. On domestic affairs it has embarked to fight corruption and reform the Civil Service. As a result of this campaign many senior civil servants was expelled. On foreign affairs it has increased the diplomatic representation of Somalia in Europe and the Middle East.
On March 25th 1966 Prime Minister Abdirizak Haji Hussein was forced to reshuffle his government. Earlier in January, Minister of Finance Hon. Awil H. Abdillahi Farah, has resigned. No reason was given for his resignation. But Hon. Osman Mohamud Adde, Minister of Commerce & Industry; and Hon. Ismail Duale Warsame, Mininter of Agriculture & Veterinary Services were dismissed on charges of corruption. The changes are as follows:
Finance - Ali Omar Shego.
Health & Labor - Haji Bashir Ismail Yusuf. (Deputy from Bosaso)
Min. of State - Osman Ahmed Roble. (Deputy from Adan Yabal)
Defence - Abdirahman H. Mumin Mohamed.
Planning - Sh. Hassan Abdillahi Farah (Deputy from Odweyne)*
Agriculture - Mohamud Abdi Nur.
Commerce & Industry-Abdullahi Isse Mohamud.
Communication & Transport- Adan Issaq Ahmed. (9)
* crossed the line from SNC to SYL.
Note two of the three contested portfolios of Finance and Defence were returned to the Southern folds.
Party Members Expelled:
The above changes created a disaccord among the Parliamentary Groups The ruling SYL. The Party in its Congress has officially announced the expulsions of 13 prominent party members for indiscipline. The group included the three former ministers of the government who were replaced in the last government reshuffle. The expulsion reduced the SYL parliament members from 91 to 78 deputies.
(1) SN April 4, 1964.
(2) Radio Mogadishu April 19, 1964
(3) SN May 30, 1964.
(4) RM June 6, 1964.
(5) SN June 11, 1964.
(6) ibid June 16, 1964
(7) ibid
(8) ibid September 1, 1964.
(9) Ibid March 26, 1966.