The freedom movement, 1895 to 1960

Haji Muse Boqor (Xaaji Muuse Boqor): SYL minister and businessman, 1911 to 1991

Haji Muse Boqor Osman (Xaaji Muuse Boqor), 1911 to 1991, was a son of Boqor Osman Mahamud, a Somali Youth League politician and businessman. He was the first Minister of Interior under the Italian trusteeship, sat in Somalia's first parliament, and was named as a possible president after President Sharmarke was killed in October 1969. He was detained after the coup, later signed the 1990 Manifesto, and was killed by mortar fire in Mogadishu on 5 January 1991.

Last checked 2026-11-12 2 sources Reading time: 2 min

Haji Muse BoqorXaaji Muuse Boqor · Haji Muse Boqor Osman

Lived
1911 to 1991-01-05
Era
Toward independence, 1920 to 1960; The Republic, 1960 to 1991
Sources
2 sources

Who was he?

Haji Muse Boqor Osman (Somali: Xaaji Muuse Boqor Cismaan) was a Somali politician and businessman. He was a son of Boqor Osman Mahamud, the Majeerteen king, and was born in Bargal, in present-day Bari, in 1911 (Wikipedia, Haji Muse Boqor). He memorised the Quran as a boy and moved to Mogadishu in 1929 to continue his education (same source).

The Somali Youth League and the trusteeship

He joined the Somali Youth League, which campaigned for independence. During the ten years of the Italian trusteeship he served in the government of Abdullahi Issa, as the first Minister of Interior, and held the post until independence. He was also a member of Somalia's first parliament (Wikipedia). Wikipedia lists him as a businessman and entrepreneur as well as a politician (same source).

October 1969

On 15 October 1969 President Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke was shot dead in Laascaanood. Haji Muse Boqor was in contention to become the next president. Six days later, on 21 October, the army led by Siad Barre took power without resistance (Wikipedia). See The civilian era, 1960 to 1969.

Detention and the Manifesto

After the coup many politicians, scholars and religious leaders were arrested as possible rivals, and he was among them. After his release he became one of the 114 signatories of the "Manifesto" of 1990, which called for an end to the fighting between Siad Barre's government and the United Somali Congress in Mogadishu (Wikipedia). See The Siad Barre era.

Death

On 5 January 1991, as fighting reached Mogadishu, he was killed by mortar fire in the Kaaraan district (Wikipedia). Radio Daljir marked the 30th anniversary with an interview with his son, Yaasiin Muuse Boqor, who saw his father die; it reports that he was killed together with other well-known politicians in Mogadishu on 5 January 1991 (Radio Daljir, 7 January 2022).

Sources disagree

  • How he died. Wikipedia's opening calls his death an assassination; its section on his death describes mortar shelling in Kaaraan. Radio Daljir says he was killed ("lagu dilay") along with other politicians (Wikipedia; Radio Daljir).
  • His years as interior minister. Wikipedia's infobox gives 1956 to 1959; its text says he held the post until independence in 1960 (Wikipedia).

Sources

  1. Wikipedia, Haji Muse Boqor · en.wikipedia.org
  2. Radio Daljir, 7 January 2022 · daljir.com

Haji Muse BoqorXaaji Muuse Boqor · Haji Muse Boqor Osman

Lived
1911 to 1991-01-05
Era
Toward independence, 1920 to 1960; The Republic, 1960 to 1991
Sources
2 sources

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