Retrieved from WIKIPEDIA on 09/09/2019 04:50 PM
Assumed office
13 December 2017
Vice President Abdirahman Saylici
Preceded by Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud
Personal details
Born: 1948 (age 71)
Hargeisa, British Somaliland (now Somaliland)
Political party: Kulmiye
Spouse(s) Zahra Abdilahi Absia, Roda Ahmed Omar
Alma mater
Gagarin Air Force Academy
United States Military Academy
University of Hargeisa
Musa Bihi Abdi (Somali: Muuse Biixi Cabdi, Arabic: موسى بيهي عبدي) (born 1948 in Hargeisa, British Somaliland[1]) is a Somaliland politician and former military officer who has been President of Somaliland since December 2017. During the 1970s, he served as a pilot in the Somali Air Force under the Siad Barre administration. In 2010, Bihi was appointed the Chairman of the ruling Kulmiye in the self-declared Republic of Somaliland. In November 2015, Bihi was selected as the party’s Presidential Candidate at the 5th annual central committee convention.[2][3]
On November 21, 2017 Muse Bihi was announced the winner of the 2017 presidential election. He officially became President of Somaliland on December 13, 2017.[4]
Military career
During the 1970s, he served as a pilot in the Somali Air Force under the Siad Barre administration.[4]
Muse Bihi as a Somali Airforce pilot
In 1985, he defected from the Somali Army and joined the rebel Somali National Movement (SNM) that eventually helped to successfully oust the Somali dictator’s regime after a long armed struggle in 1991.[4]
From 1985 to 1988 Bihi took part in conducting intensive guerrilla war operations conducted by the SNM against the Siad Barre regime. Until 1990, Bihi served as rebel commander before joining politics and serving as home affairs minister under the late President Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal in 1992.[4]
Political career
Egal Administration
After the rebirth and declaration of Independence of Somaliland in 1991, Col. Muse Bihi Abdi played a vital role in the reconciliation process of the Somaliland clans in Burao, Berbera, Sheekh and Borama.[5]
In 1993, Bihi served as Minister of Interior and National Security in late President Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal‘s government.[1]
Silanyo Administration
In 2010, Mr Bihi became the chairman of Somaliland’s Kulmiye Party. In 2015, Bihi was elected by the Party Congress as the Kulmiye presidential candidate in the forthcoming elections of 2017 presidential election.[1]
2017 presidential election
The 2017 Somaliland presidential elections were held on November 13, 2017. On November 21, Bihi was announced as the winner of the election, becoming President-elect of Somaliland.[4]
Presidency
Muse Bihi Abdi was officially sworn in as the 5th President of the Republic of Somaliland on December 13, 2017 in the capital Hargeisa with dignitaries from Ethiopia, Djibouti, the European Union and the United Kingdom in attendance.[6]
References
- ^ Jump up to:a b c Olad, Mohamed (21 November 2017). “Somaliland Ruling Party Candidate Bihi Wins Election”. Voanews.com. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
- ^ “Somalia: Wrangle splits Somaliland Ruling Party as President Siilaanyo seeks re-election”. allafrica.com. 26 May 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
- ^ “Muse Bihi and Saylici Elected as Kulmiye’s Presidential Candidate”. galgalanews.com. 11 November 2015. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
- ^ Jump up to:a b c d e Olad, Mohamed. “Somaliland Ruling Party Candidate Bihi Wins Election”. VOA. Retrieved 2018-06-10.
- ^ Kulmiye Party (2017-09-20), Murrashax Muuse Biixi: Waraysi 24 Sanno ka hor lagaga qaaday Boorama iyo damaciisii Somaliland, retrieved 2018-06-10
- ^ AfricaNews (2017-12-13). “Somaliland hailed as it swears in new president”. Africanews. Retrieved 2019-05-08.