Since the office was established in 1960, there have been nine official presidents. The current president is Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who was elected in 2022. He is the first person to serve as president twice, having previously held the position from 2012 to 2017.
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Complete List Of Somalia Presidents From 1960 Till Date
No | Name | Tenure | Political Party |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Aden Abdulle Osman Daar | 1 July 1960 – 10 June 1967 | Somali Youth League (SYL) |
2 | Abdirashid Ali Shermarke | 10 June 1967 – 15 October 1969 | Somali Youth League (SYL) |
- | Sheikh Mukhtar Mohamed Hussein | Acting: 15 October 1969 – 21 October 1969 | - |
3 | Mohamed Siad Barre | 21 October 1969 – 26 January 1991 | Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party (SRSP) |
4 | Ali Mahdi Muhammad | 27 January 1991 – 3 January 1997 | United Somali Congress (USC) |
- | Vacant | 3 January 1997 – 27 August 2000 | - |
5 | Abdiqasim Salad Hassan | 27 August 2000 – 14 October 2004 | Independent |
6 | Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed | 14 October 2004 – Resigned on 29 December 2008 | Independent |
- | Aden Madobe | Acting: 29 December 2008 – 31 January 2009 | RRA |
7 | Sharif Sheikh Ahmed | 31 January 2009 – 20 August 2012 | Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS) |
- | Muse Hassan Sheikh Sayid Abdulle | Acting: 20 August –28 August,2012 | - |
- | Mohamed Osman Jawari | Acting: August – September,2012 | - |
8 | Hassan Sheikh Mohamud | First Term:16 September 2012 –16 February 2017 | Peace and Development Party (PDP) |
9 | Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed | 16 February,2017 –23 May,2022 | The People's Party (TPP) |
10 | Hassan Sheikh Mohamud | Second Term:23 May 2022 – Present | United Peace and Development Party (UPD) |
Who Was Somalia’s First President?
Aden Abdulle Osman Daar, also known as Aden Adde, was Somalia’s first president and a key figure in its history. He served as president from July 1, 1960, to June 10, 1967.
His leadership sees Somalia’s transition from colonial rule to becoming an independent country. Aden Adde was instrumental in the early years of the Somali Republic.
Born on December 9, 1908, in Beledweyne, which was part of Italian Somaliland, Aden Adde lost his parents at a young age.
He was raised by his extended family and received an education that allowed him to learn several languages, including Somali, Arabic, Italian, and English.
In the early years of his career, Aden Adde worked for the Italian colonial administration. After World War II, he joined the Somali Youth League (SYL), a group that fought for Somali independence.
He held several positions within the SYL and served on local and regional councils before becoming president. When Somalia gained independence in 1960, Aden Adde was elected as the country’s first president.
During his time in office, he strived to build a unified nation. He worked closely with Prime Minister Abdirashid Ali Shermarke to improve education and develop infrastructure.
His leadership helped create a democratic foundation for Somalia. In 1967, Aden Adde lost the presidential election to Shermarke but peacefully handed over power.
After leaving office, he retired to his farm but was briefly arrested after a military coup in 1969. He later withdrew from public life as Somalia’s political situation worsened.
Aden Adde died on June 8, 2007, and today, Mogadishu’s airport is named Aden Adde International Airport in his honor.
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Who Is Somalia’s Current President?
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is the current president of Somalia. He took office on May 15, 2022, to begin his second term as president. His first term was from 2012 to 2017.
However, his return to power came after a long and difficult election process, which showed the challenges Somalia faces, such as political instability and security threats.
Mohamud was born on November 29, 1955, in Jalalaqsi, Somalia. He pursued higher education and became an academic, co-founding SIMAD University in Mogadishu.
He also worked there as a professor and dean. In 2012, he became president of Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government.
During that time, he stabilized the country, which faced ongoing conflicts with al-Shabaab, an Islamist militant group.
His efforts were internationally recognized, and in 2013, he was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people.
However, his administration was criticized for issues like corruption and restrictions on the media. After losing the presidency in 2017 to Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, Mohamud stayed active in politics.
He founded the Union for Peace and Development Party. In May 2022, he was re-elected, defeating Farmajo in a parliamentary vote.
This vote was held under strict security due to threats from al-Shabaab. Mohamud received 214 votes, while Farmajo got 110.
His victory was celebrated in Mogadishu but also highlighted Somalia’s continued struggles, including security challenges and humanitarian crises caused by drought and inflation.
Mohamud has promised to defeat al-Shabaab and improve security. His administration is working with African Union troops and international partners to tackle these threats.
He is also pushing for Somalia’s first one-person-one-vote elections since 1969. Local elections are planned for June 2025, with parliamentary elections scheduled for September 2025.
