Leaders and statesmen
Presidents of Somalia, 1960 to 2026
Nine people have been President of Somalia since independence on 1 July 1960, and four more served as acting president, from Aden Abdulle Osman to Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who has held office since 23 May 2022. The office was vacant from January 1997 to August 2000. This page lists every holder with dates and links to each person's page.
In short
This is the list of heads of state of Somalia since independence on 1 July 1960. Dates follow the Wikipedia list of presidents of Somalia (Wikipedia, List of presidents of Somalia). How the office works today is explained in the President and the Council of Ministers.
Ali Mahdi Muhammad, named interim President in January 1991, held the title through the 1990s, but his authority reached only parts of Mogadishu (Wikipedia, Ali Mahdi Muhammad). Sheikh Mukhtar Mohamed Hussein was acting president from 15 to 21 October 1969, after the killing of President Shermarke (Wikipedia, List of presidents of Somalia). Somaliland, which declared independence in 1991, has its own presidents; see Somaliland, 1991 to 2026.
Somali Republic (1960–1969)
- Aden Abdulle Osman (Aden Adde), 1 July 1960 to 10 June 1967
- Abdirashid Ali Shermarke, 10 June 1967 to 15 October 1969
- Sheikh Mukhtar Mohamed Hussein, 15 October 1969 to 21 October 1969 (acting)
Somali Democratic Republic (1969–1991)
- Mohamed Siad Barre, 21 October 1969 to 26 January 1991
Interim government (1991–1997)
- Ali Mahdi Muhammad, 27 January 1991 to 3 January 1997
Vacant, 3 January 1997 to 27 August 2000
No one held the office in these years.
Transitional National Government (2000–2004)
- Abdiqasim Salad Hassan, 27 August 2000 to 14 October 2004
Transitional Federal Government (2004–2012)
- Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, 14 October 2004 to 29 December 2008
- Aden Mohamed Nur (Aden Madobe), 29 December 2008 to 31 January 2009 (acting)
- Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, 31 January 2009 to 20 August 2012
Federal Republic of Somalia (2012–)
- Muse Hassan Sheikh Sayid Abdulle, 20 August 2012 to 28 August 2012 (acting)
- Mohamed Osman Jawari, 28 August 2012 to 16 September 2012 (acting)
- Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, 16 September 2012 to 16 February 2017
- Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed (Farmaajo), 16 February 2017 to 23 May 2022
- Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, from 23 May 2022
Sources
- Wikipedia, List of presidents of Somalia · en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, Ali Mahdi Muhammad · en.wikipedia.org
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Same era
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Keep reading
- Prime Ministers of Somalia, 1956 to 2026Every Prime Minister and acting Prime Minister of Somalia from 1956 to 2026, with dates of office and links to each person's page.
- Imam Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi (Axmed Gurey)Imam Ahmad Gurey (about 1506–1543): leader of Adal in the war with Ethiopia, his life, the debate on his origin and how he is remembered.
- Aden Abdulle Osman (Aadan Cabdulle Cismaan, Aden Adde)Aden Adde (1908–2007), first President of the Somali Republic: his life, the Somali Youth League, 1960 and the peaceful handover of 1967.
- Abdirashid Ali Shermarke (Cabdirashiid Cali Sharmaarke)Abdirashid Ali Shermarke (1919–1969): first Prime Minister and second President of the Somali Republic, his life and his death in 1969.
- Mohamed Haji Ibrahim Egal (Maxamed Xaaji Ibraahim Cigaal)Mohamed Haji Ibrahim Egal (1928–2002): Prime Minister in 1960 and 1967–69, President of Somaliland 1993–2002. His life and public roles.
- Hassan Gouled Aptidon (Xasan Guuleed Abtidoon)Hassan Gouled Aptidon (1916–2006): French senator for French Somaliland, Djibouti's first President 1977 to 1999, and the one-party and civil war years.