Somalia announces 3-day state mourning after ex-leader’s death
MOGADISHU, Somalia – Outgoing Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo has ordered the country’s flag flown at half-staff as a sign of respect for former leader Ali Mahdi Mohamed, who died on Wednesday.
Farmajo has ordered the country to observe a three-day state of mourning as a result of the death of the fourth Somali president, who served between 1991 and 1997, during the civil war.
The government appointed a committee of 11 members to give the former leader a state funeral as a sign of appreciation for the deceased’s leadership.
“We are lowering the national flag for three days as a sign of mourning after the death of President Ali Mahdi Mohamed. I have also appointed the National Funeral Committee,” Farmajo said, in what appears to be the government’s decision to take care of funeral expenses.
Mohamed has moved on in Nairobi, 82, the Somali government announced on Wednesday, adding that he had been hospitalized in neighboring Kenya for some time now.
After his death, the top political leaders in Somalia have continued to send outrageous messages of sympathy to the family to the former leader, who was at the helm for nearly a decade as Somalia went through another transition period.
“I share my grief with the people of Somalia as a whole and extend my condolences to the family of former President Ali Mahdi Mohamed, who died in Nairobi. May God have mercy on him,” said former Transitional President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed.
“On behalf of the Government of Northeastern State, we express our deepest sympathy to the family members and Somali citizens for the loss of the former President of Somalia, Ali Mahdi Mohammad. May Allah have mercy on his soul and give sabar to those he left behind. Aameen” added Said Abdullahi Deni from Northeastern State.
Several sources confirmed to Axadlethat the former leader was struggling with the novel Covid-19 at Nairobi Hospital. Ali Mahdi’s time as president was marred by the civil war in Mogadishu between him and supporters of the late General MF Aidid.
Ali Mahdi was appointed President on 28 January 1991. He was immediately opposed by General Aidid, but was re-elected during a conference in Djibouti in July 1991, was nominated President until the election of Abdiqasim Salad in August 2000. Mahdi was born in Addow Uul , Middle Shabelle.
Somalia also mourns former police chief Brigadier General Ahmed Jama Muse, who died in Mogadishu after complications from Covid-19, the state reports.
The second wave of a pandemic is ravaging Somalia as a positive case, and the number of deaths continues to rise.
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