President of Somalia

The president of Somalia (Somali: Madaxaweynaha Soomaaliya) is the head of state of Somalia. The President is also commander-in-chief of the Somali Armed Forces. The president represents the Federal Republic of Somalia.

President of the Federal Republic of Somalia Madaxaweynaha Jamhuuriyadda Federaalka Soomaaliyeed
Presidential Seal
Flag of Somalia
Incumbent Hassan Mohamud since 15 May 2022
Residence	Villa Somalia
Term length	Four years, renewable once
Inaugural holder	Aden Abdullah Osman Daar
Formation	1 July 1960
Salary	$5,000,000 annually
Website	villasomalia.gov.so

The office of President of Somalia was created with the proclamation of the Republic of Somalia on 1 July 1960. The first president of Somalia was Aden Abdullah Osman Daar.

History

The first president of Somalia was Aden Abdullah Osman Daar, one of the leaders of the Somali Youth League (SYL), who took office on 1 July 1960, the day on which Somalia was declared a republic. Since then the office has been held by seven further people: Abdirashid Ali Shermarke, Mohamed Siad Barre, Ali Mahdi, Abdiqasim Salad, Abdullahi Yusuf, Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. In addition, Sheikh Mukhtar acted as president between Shemarke's assassination and the coup d'état, and Aden Madoobe acted as president after Yusuf's resignation in the 2008.

Sharif Sheikh Ahmed took office on 31 January 2009, after being elected by the presidential election held in January 2009. Ahmed's term as President of Somalia officially ended In August 2012, concurrent with the conclusion of the transitional federal government's mandate and the start of the federal government of Somalia. He was succeeded in office by General Muse Hassan, who had been serving in an interim capacity.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud took office on 16 September 2012, after being elected by the presidential election held on 10 September 2012.

Duties and responsibilities

An outline of the duties are as follow:

• Appoint the prime minister,
• Serve as Commander-in-Chief of the Somali Armed Forces;
• Declare a state of emergency and war in accordance with the law,
• Appoint and dismiss the commanders of the forces at the federal government level on the recommendation by the Council of Ministers;
• Dismiss ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers on the recommendation of the prime minister;
• Sign draft laws passed by the federal Parliament in order to bring them into law;
• Open the House of the People of the Federal Parliament;
• Hold an annual session with the House of the People of the Federal Parliament;
• Appoint the chairman of the Constitutional Court, the High Court, and other judges at the federal government level in accordance with the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission;
• Appoint senior federal government officials and the heads of the federal government institutions on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers;
• Appoint ambassadors and high commissions on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers;
• Receive foreign diplomats and consuls;
• Confer state honours on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers;
• Dissolve the House of the People of the Federal Parliament when its term expires, thereby prompting new elections;
• Pardon offenders and commute sentences on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission; and
• Sign international treaties proposed by the Council of Ministers and approved by the House of the People of the Federal Parliament.

List

Name		Portrait	Birth–Death	Elected	Took office	Left office	Political party
• Somali Republic (1960–1969) •
1	Aden Adde		1908–2007	1960	1 July 1960	10 June 1967	SYL
2	Abdirashid Shermarke		1919–1969	1967	10 June 1967	15 October 1969 (Assassinated)	SYL
—	Sheikh Mukhtar Mohamed Hussein Acting President		1912–2012	—	15 October 1969	21 October 1969 (Deposed)	SYL
• Somali Democratic Republic (1969–1991) •
3	Siad Barre		1919–1995	1980 1986	21 October 1969	26 January 1991 (Deposed)	Military / SRSP
• Interim Government of Somalia (1991–1997) •
4	Ali Mahdi Muhammad		1939–	1991	27 January 1991	3 January 1997	USC
5	Mohamed Farrah Aidid		1934— 1996		3 January 1995	1 August 1996	Independent
6	Hussein Farrah Aidid		1962 —		1 August 1996	20 March 1998	Independent
—	Somali National Alliance		—		20 March 1998	2000	Co-Chairmen of National Salvation Council
—	Somalia Reconciliation and Restoration Council		—		2000	27 August 2000	Independent
• Transitional National Government of Somalia (2000–2004) •
7	Mohamed Abshir Muse		1926 – 2017		13 August 2000	22 August 2000	Independent
8	Abdallah Isaaq Deerow		1950–2006		22 August 2000	27 August 2000	Independent
9	Abdiqasim Salad		1941–	2000	27 August 2000	1 July 2003	Independent
10	Abdinur Darman		1953–		1 July 2003	14 October 2003	Independent
9	Abdiqasim Salad		1941–		14 October 2003	14 October 2004	Independent
• Transitional Federal Government of Somalia (2004–2012) •
11	Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed		1934–2012	2004	14 October 2004	29 December 2008 (Resigned)	Independent
12	Sharif Sheikh Ahmed		1964–		5 June 2006	29June 2006	Islamic Courts Union
13	Hassan Dahir Aweys		1935—		29 June 2006	29 December 2006	Islamic Courts Union
14	Aden Madobe Acting President		1957–	—	29 December 2008	31 January 2009	RRA
12	Sharif Sheikh Ahmed		1964–	2009	31 January 2009	20 August 2012	ARS
• Federal Republic of Somalia (2012–present) •
15	Muse Hassan Sheikh Sayid Abdulle Acting President		1939–	—	20 August 2012	28 August 2012	Independent
16	Mohamed Osman Jawari Acting President		1945–2024	—	28 August 2012	16 September 2012	Independent
17	Hassan Sheikh Mohamud		1955–	2012	16 September 2012	16 February 2017	PDP
18	Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed		1962–	2017	16 February 2017	16 February 2021	TPP
17	Hassan Sheikh Mohamud		1955–	2021	16 February 2021	16 February 2022	PDP
17	Hassan Sheikh Mohamud		1955–	2022	16 February 2022	6 June 2022	PDP
—	H.E.Sadia Haji Samatar		1955–		6 June 2022	28 August 2022	PDP
17	Hassan Sheikh Mohamud		1955–	—	28 August 2022	Incumbent	PDP

Living former presidents

As of 28 December 2024, there are three living former presidents of Somalia, as seen below.

• Living former presidents of Somalia
• 
  Abdiqasim Salad
  served 2000–2004
  born 1941 (age 83)
• 
  Sharif Sheikh_Ahmed
  served 2009-2012
  born 1964 (age 60)
• 
  Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed
  served 2017–2022
  born 1962 (age 62)

The most recent president to die was Ali Mahdi Muhammad (served 1991–1997), on 10 March 2021, at the age of 82.