Brief history of former Somaliland president , M.I.Egal
(Medeshi)-Mohamed Haji Ibrahim Egal (born August 15, 1928 in Odweyne, British Somaliland – died May 3, 2002 in Pretoria, South Africa) was both a Somali and a Somaliland politician. He was the Prime Minister of Somalia during the early and late 1960s. He also served as the second President of the Republic of Somaliland after Abdirahman Ahmed Ali ( Tuur).
Egal initially worked as an unofficial member of the former British Somaliland protectorate’s Executive Council, and was the Leader of Government Business in the Legislative Council. For five days in June 1960, he served as the Prime Minister of the briefly-extant State of Somaliland (the former British Somaliland) during its planned transition to union with the Trust Territory of Somalia (the former Italian Somaliland) to form the Somali Republic.
Following Somalia’s independence on July 1, 1960, Egal served as the nation’s first Prime Minister. He would later work in various positions in the early civilian administration.
Between 1960 and 1962, Egal was the national Minister of Defense (1960–1962). He subsequently served as Education Minister (1962–1963), Prime Minister (1967–1969), and Ambassador to India (1976–1978).
Shortly after the assassination of Somalia’s then President Abdirashid Ali Shermarke on October 15, 1969, the newly-established Supreme Revolutionary Council (SRC) led by Major General Siad Barre, Lieutenant Colonel Salaad Gabeyre Kediye and Chief of Police Jama Korshel seized power. The SRC subsequently renamed the country the Somali Democratic Republic, arrested members of the former civilian government, banned political parties, dissolved the parliament and the Supreme Court, and suspended the constitution. Egal was among the politicians detained by the SRC for his prominent role in the nation’s early government.
When the Barre regime eventually collapsed in 1991 with the start of the civil war, the SNM ( Somali National Movement ) and local leaders in northwestern Somalia unilaterally declared the region independent and elected Abdiraham Ahmed Ali (Tuur) as the first president of Somaliland Republic . Egal was elected as the second Somaliland president two years later by a regional council of elders.
During his tenure as President of Somaliland, Egal managed to disarm local rebel groups, stabilized the north western Somaliland region’s economy, and established informal trade ties with foreign countries. He also introduced the Somaliland shilling, passport and flag. In addition, Egal helped create the Somaliland army, one of the more effective armed forces in Somalia.
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References : WK
Medeshi Media Group
