Abdirizak Haji Hussein facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Abdirizak Haji Hussein عبد الرزاق حاجي حسين
3rd Prime Minister of Somali Republic
In office 14 June 1964 – 15 July 1967
Preceded by	Abdirashid Ali Shermarke
Succeeded by	Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal
Minister of Interior
In office 22 July 1960 – 19 November 1962
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Mohamud Abdi Nur
Minister of Public Works and Communications
In office 19 November 1962 – 14 June 1964
Preceded by	Abdi Nur Mohamed Hussein
Succeeded by	Abdulle Mohamud Mohamed
Personal details
Born	(1924-12-24)24 December 1924 Galkayo, Italian Somalia (now Somalia)
Died	31 January 2014(2014-01-31) (aged 89) Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Political party	Somali Youth League

Abdirizak Haji Hussein (born December 24, 1924 – died January 31, 2014) was an important Somali leader. He was a diplomat and a politician. He served as the Prime Minister of the Somali Republic from 1964 to 1967. Later, he was Somalia's ambassador to the United Nations.

Hussein was also a former leader of the Somali Youth League. This was a major political party. He played a big role in Somalia's first civilian government.

Early Life and Education

Abdirizak Haji Hussein was born in 1924 in Galkayo. This city is in the north-central Mudug region of Somalia. His family belonged to the Majeerteen clan. He learned about the Qur'an from his father, Hajji Hussein Atosh. His father was an expert in Islam.

Hussein mostly taught himself. He became very good at speaking both Italian and English. He was married and had two daughters and one son.

His Career Journey

Starting Out in Public Service

From 1942 to 1949, Hussein worked for the British Military Administration. He served as an officer and an interpreter. He also worked as a clerk during the early days of the Trust Territory of Somalia. In 1950, he was put in prison for six months. This was because he protested for Somalia's independence.

In 1944, Hussein joined the Somali Youth League. This was a key political group. He became a Galkayo Councillor in 1954. This happened during Somalia's first local elections.

In 1955, Hussein went to the United Nations. There, he presented a request for the Somali Youth League. A few months later, he was chosen as the party's Secretary General. In 1959, he became a Member of Parliament for the Nugal District. He was also elected to the National Assembly that same year. During this time, he led the Higher Institute of Law and Economics. Later, he became the president of the University Institute.

In the first government after Somalia gained independence, Hussein held important roles. He was the Minister of Interior from 1960 to 1962. Then, he became the Minister of Public Works and Communications from 1962 to 1964.

Prime Minister of Somalia

Leading the Country

In November 1963, local elections were held across Somalia. The Somali Youth League won 74 percent of the seats. Then, in March 1964, Somalia had its first national elections after independence. The Somali Youth League won again, getting 69 out of 123 seats.

After the 1964 election, there was a political challenge. Somalia did not have a government until September. President Osman chose Abdirizak Haji Hussein to be the new Prime Minister. He chose Hussein instead of the current Prime Minister, Abdirashid Ali Shermarke. President Osman believed new leadership could bring fresh ideas.

Hussein chose his team of ministers based on their skills. He did not consider their clan or region. This was different from how things were usually done. For example, he kept only two ministers from the previous government. He also increased the number of positions for people from the northern regions.

This caused some disagreements within the Somali Youth League. Hussein had been a member since 1944. He had also served in two previous governments. Many younger and more educated party members supported him. But some political leaders who were not chosen for the cabinet joined those who supported Shermarke. This created an opposition group within the party.

The main issue discussed was about "Greater Somalia." This was the idea of uniting all Somali-speaking territories. Both President Osman and Prime Minister-designate Hussein wanted to focus on Somalia's internal problems first.

Hussein's first proposed cabinet did not get enough votes. Seven members, including Shermarke, did not vote. Forty-eight members of the Somali Youth League voted for Hussein, but thirty-three were against him. Even with this split, the Somali Youth League continued to gain members from other parties.

President Osman did not accept the vote's outcome. He nominated Hussein as Prime Minister again. After more talks within the party, Hussein presented a second list of ministers. This new list included three more positions. These were filled by people chosen to calm the opposition groups. The new cabinet was approved by almost all Somali Youth League members in the National Assembly. Hussein remained Prime Minister until the presidential elections in June 1967.

In the 1967 presidential elections, former Prime Minister Shermarke ran against President Osman. The main issue was again about "Greater Somalia." President Osman, through Hussein, had focused on developing the country internally. Shermarke, who had been Prime Minister when the idea of "Greater Somalia" was very popular, was elected president.

The Idea of Greater Somalia

The Somali government wanted to unite all Somali-speaking lands. Because of this, people thought the government was helping groups in Ethiopia, Kenya, and French Somaliland. These groups wanted to join Somalia. Even though Hussein supported the idea of "Greater Somalia," he always said his government was not directly involved. He said his policy was to achieve this goal peacefully.

He asked the United Nations to hold votes in these areas. He also asked the Organization of African Unity to send teams to find out what the Somali people there wanted. Neither organization agreed to his requests. The Organization of African Unity passed a rule that supported keeping the borders that European colonial powers had created in Africa.

Later Years and Legacy

After the 1969 Somali coup d'état, Hussein was arrested. He was a political prisoner from 1969 to April 1973. In 1974, he became Somalia's representative to the United Nations. He held this position until 1979. During the Somali civil war, Hussein was asked many times to help bring peace between the fighting groups.

In 2001, he was named chief of a new group called the National Commission for Reconciliation and Property Settlement. This group was created to help bring peace to Somalia. However, some groups opposed his leadership, and he resigned from the post in July 2001.

Death and Remembering Him

Abdirizak Haji Hussein passed away from pneumonia on January 31, 2014. He died in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in the United States. He had been in the hospital for a week.

Somalia's Prime Minister, Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed, expressed his sadness. He called Hussein "one of the leading Somali nationalists of the 20th century." He also said Hussein was a "leading member of the freedom fighters of the Somali Youth League." The Prime Minister added that Hussein "dedicated his life to the people and the Republic of Somalia." He urged everyone to "take forward his legacy." A government committee was formed to plan a national funeral for Hussein.

The Federal Government of Somalia announced national days of mourning. Hussein's body was brought to Mogadishu for burial. Many important people, including the President of Puntland, attended the funeral service.

On February 7, 2014, Hussein was buried in Mogadishu Cemetery. The ceremony was attended by many important people. These included President of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed. The Speaker of Parliament, Mohamed Osman Jawari, and Puntland President Abdiweli Mohamed Ali were also there. Security was increased in the city for the event. Prayers were held at the capital's largest mosque. Then, a burial service took place at the Al-Irfid cemetery. Hussein was buried next to Aden Abdulle Osman Daar, Somalia's first President.

President Mohamud offered his condolences to Hussein's family and the people of Somalia. He asked everyone to "pray for one of Somalia's greatest heroes." He said, "Abdirizak Haji Hussein was a great man and a towering Somali patriot. His life should be an example to all Somalis."

Hussein is remembered for his focus on good leadership. Many of his cabinet members were educated and energetic. They were chosen because they were good at their jobs. During his time as ambassador to the United Nations, Hussein signed important international agreements. These included one against the crime of apartheid. His political career was known for being open, fair, and against corruption. He believed in good governance.

See also

In Spanish: Abdirizak Haji Hussein para niños

• Hirsi Bulhan Farah
• Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed
• Aden Abdulle Osman Daar
• Haji Bashir Ismail Yusuf