Sharif Sheikh Ahmed Sharif Sheikh Ahmed ( , ; born 25 July 1964 ) is a Somali politician . Between 2009 – 2012 , he was the President of Somalia . He also previously served as the Commander in Chief of the Islamic Courts Union ( ICU ) , the group of Sharia Courts that opposed the Transitional Federal Government ( TFG ) . Early life and education . Sharif Ahmed was born on 25 July 1964 in the southern Shabeellaha Dhexe region of Somalia . He is a member of the Abgaal clan . Sharif began his education at the Sheikh Sufi Institute , which was associated with Al - Azhar University in Egypt . He then went to Sudan and entered University of Kordofan in late 1992 , where he pursued a bachelor ' s degree in the Arabic language ( major ) and geography ( minor ) in the city of Aldalanj . In 1994 , the university was renamed to the Dalanj University , and Sheikh Sharif left for Tripoli , the capital of Libya , after having completed only two out of the required four years . In Libya , he entered the Open University where he earned a bachelor ' s degree in Law and Islamic Shariah , graduating in 1998 . He worked as a secondary school teacher of geography , Arabic , and religious studies . A " hafiz " , Ahmed had memorized the Qur ' an as a child and spoke only standard Arabic , shunning slang and local dialects . Thus , his religious upbringing and education allowed him to succeed his father as the spiritual leader of the Idriseeyah sect of Sufi Islam in Somalia . Islamic Courts Union . After returning from overseas , Ahmed became involved in the ICU and was elected to head a small local sub - clan court in Jowhar . A few years later , a local gang in Mogadishu , Somalia ' s capital , kidnapped a young student and demanded a ransom from his family in return for the boy ' s release . Ahmed helped secure the boys release . This incident was one of countless other kidnappings and killings perpetrated by armed groups in the Somali capital who exploited the disintegration of the central government . This event reportedly marked a turning point in the life of Sheikh Ahmed and propelled his further involvement with the ICU . By 2004 , Sheikh Ahmed had become one of the leading figures in the Mogadishu Islamic Courts . His closest friends and allies included Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys , one of the founders of the ICU , and Aden Hashi Farah " Eyrow " , a man whom Washington alleges has connections with the Al - Qaeda network and fought in Afghanistan in 2001 . On 9 September 2006 , under the auspices of Abdiqasim Salad Hassan , the former President of the Somali Transitional National Government , Sheikh Ahmed and several colleagues attended an AU ceremony in Sirte , Libya as ICU delegates , marking the seventh anniversary of a summit of African leaders . In an interview with Reuters and the BBC , Sheikh Ahmed suggested his delegation would seek the help of Libya and other African nations to bring about a rapprochement between the Islamic Courts Union and the Somali Transitional Federal Government ( TFG ) . However , he reportedly arrived in Khartoum , Sudan 48 hours before the start of the conference between the Somali government and the ICU only to leave 24 hours later . Sheikh Ahmed said Ethiopia had been hostile to Somalia peace for more than 100 years , and reiterated a long - standing Islamist accusation that Ethiopian forces were intervening in Somalia . Ethiopia denied any of its troops were fighting in Somalia . However , arrangements for an Intergovernmental Authority on Development ( IGAD ) - led peacekeeping force did not materialize . On 28 December 2006 , after the defeat of the ICU ' s army , he committed himself to fight against the occupation forces — the Ethiopian forces and Puntland soldiers in southern Somalia . After the ICU ' s defeat in the Battle of Jilib and their abandonment of Kismayo , he fled towards the Kenyan border . Before fleeing , Sharif lived with his wife and two children , Ahmad , aged 9 and Abdullah , who was a toddler , in a modest house in Mogadishu . He met the U . S . Ambassador to Kenya for talks regarding cooperation with the TFG . He was under the protection of Kenyan authorities staying at a hotel in Nairobi . On 1 February 2007 , Sharif Ahmed was released from Kenyan police authorities . By 8 February , Sheikh Sharif Sheik Ahmed went to Yemen where other ICU members are thought to had also gone . Political career . 2009 presidential election . As the first round of voting began , several candidates withdrew , increasing the speculation that the vote would largely be a choice between Nur Hassan Hussein and Sharif Ahmed . In the first round , Sharif Ahmed received 215 votes , Maslah Mohamed Siad got 60 , and Hussein obtained 59 . Hussein then withdrew his candidacy , thus likely sealing the election of Sharif Ahmed as president . In the final round of the presidential election , Sharif prevailed with 293 votes . After winning the vote in the early hours of 31 January 2009 , Ahmed was sworn in later in the day at the Kempinski hotel in Djibouti . Stand - off . In April and May 2010 , a rift developed between Prime Minister of Somalia , Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke , and then Speaker of Parliament , Adan Mohamed Nuur Madobe , which culminated in the Speaker ' s resignation after parliament later voted to remove him from office . Despite Madobe agreeing to relieve himself of his duties as Speaker , the President Sharif announced shortly afterwards his dismissal of Prime Minister Sharmarke and his intention of forming a new government . This move was quickly welcomed by the UN Special Representative for Somalia , Ahmedou Ould - Abdallah , a close associate and supporter of Sharif . Ould - Abdallah himself has recently come under fire for his reportedly disruptive role in the continuing conflict in southern Somalia , including meddling in local politics and attempting to advance foreign agendas . In response , Prime Minister Sharmarke told the press that Sharif did not have the authority to dismiss him , and stated that he would remain in office until parliament passes a vote of no confidence . Sharmarke added that he " met the president and informed him that I wouldn ' t submit a resignation because his decision is not supported by the transitional charter " , and that “ the government is formed in accordance with the constitution and the national charter . . . Articles 44 and 51 of the constitution say that the government can only be dissolved through a vote of no confidence from the parliament . So no parliament has casted the vote against the government . ” On 18 May , a top official with the African Union urged the federal leaders to settle their differences and unite to resolve the ongoing conflict . Supporters of Prime Minister Sharmarke were also reported to have gathered in the north - central Mudug region of Somalia to protest in his defense . On 20 May , President Sharif reversed his decision to sack Prime Minister Sharmarke . The change of heart came after consulting with lawyers , who advised Sharif that the dismissal was indeed unconstitutional . Analysts have also stated that the move has severely undermined Sharif ' s credibility , as well as that of the UN representative , Ould - Abdallah , who had backed him . On 26 May , following another disagreement with Prime Minister Sharmarke , incumbent President Sharif again announced his unilateral plan to appoint a new Premier . Associates of Sharif ' s also reportedly attempted to persuade Sharmarke to resign , but the Premier again refused to step down and vowed instead to remain in office until his tenure constitutionally expires . Abdirahman Mohamud Farole , the incumbent President of Somalia ' s autonomous Puntland region in the northeast , attempted to help settle the dispute , warning that if not resolved amicably , the rift could result in the ultimate collapse of the Transitional Federal Government . In September 2010 , disagreements again arose between President Sharif and Prime Minister Sharmarke , this time over the nation ' s draft constitution , an initiative supported by the United Nations , the European Union and the United States . Sharmarke reportedly wanted the document put before parliament and civil society members , while the president wanted it to be put to a referendum . On 14 September , it was reported that the Premier had convened with MPs and ministers at the presidential residence to discuss the issue , where Sharmarke indicated that he would welcome a resolution to the dispute but would not step down . In a parliamentary meeting the following day , Sharif requested " changes " to the interim government ; a motion calling for a vote of no confidence in the Premier was then put forward . However , on September 18 , the new Speaker of the Parliament Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan reportedly called off a parliamentary session when the vote of confidence was expected to take place . In response to the rift , representatives from the United Nations , the African Union and IGAD , who had already tried to serve as mediators , released a joint statement warning that the dispute is unhelpful and self - defeating . Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamud Farole in an interview likewise urged the federal government ' s leaders to set aside their differences for the sake of the country . Farole added that the " government [ TFG ] has a short time in office remaining and it should not be changed . This is also the position of countries who are interested in Somali affairs " . Critics have also accused President Sharif of attempting to force Prime Minister Sharmarke out of office so as to remain in power beyond his term ' s expiry in August 2011 . Doing so could terminate the draft constitution , which in turn might extend the president ' s tenure . On 21 September 2010 , in a press conference attended by members of Parliament and the Cabinet , Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke announced his resignation as Prime Minister of Somalia . Sharmarke indicated that the infighting between himself and President Sharif had become a " security vulnerability " and that he had opted instead to " save the nation " by voluntarily stepping down . With Sharmarke ' s resignation , a new Cabinet is expected to be named by the next Premier . New Prime Minister . On 14 October 2010 , President Sharif appointed former First Secretary of the Somali embassy in Washington , Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo , as the new Prime Minister of Somalia . A row between the President and Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden , the Speaker of Parliament , then developed over whether the scheduled vote of confidence on Mohamed ' s nomination should be decided by a show of hands or a secret ballot . Sharif Ahmed favored hand - raising while Sharif Aden preferred a secret ballot , ultimately postponing the deciding voting session . The Supreme Court of Somalia subsequently ruled that the vote should be conducted by a show of hands , consistent with how previous confirmation votes in parliament had been decided since 1960 . A delegation from the UN , AU and IGAD , including the Special Envoy to Somalia , also flew in to attempt to help resolve the impasse . On 31 October 2010 , the vote of confidence was held , with lawmakers overwhelmingly approving Mohamed ' s appointment as Prime Minister . Out of the 392 Members of Parliament , 297 endorsed the selection via hand - raising ; 92 MPs voted against and 3 abstained . United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki - Moon also issued a statement commending the Somali leadership for having reached a consensus on procedural arrangements that facilitated a transparent and consultative confirmation of the new Premier . Kampala Accord . After months of political infighting between President Sharif Ahmed and the Speaker of Parliament Sharif Hassan over whether to hold presidential elections in August 2011 , the two politicians struck a deal in Kampala on June 9 , 2011 to postpone the vote for a new President and parliamentary Speaker for one year in exchange for the resignation of the Premier within a period of thirty days . Overseen by the Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and the U . N . Special Envoy to Somalia Augustine Mahiga , the signed Kampala Accord would also see the well - regarded technocratic Cabinet that Prime Minister Mohamed had assembled in November 2010 re - composed to make way for a new government . Political analysts have suggested that the agreement may have been a bid on President Sharif Ahmed ' s part to fend off attempts by the Speaker of Parliament Sharif Hassan to force him from power by pre - emptively " sacrificing " the Premier . Sharif Hassan is also reported to harbor presidential ambitions of his own . Announcement of Prime Minister Mohamed ' s proposed resignation was immediately met with protests in various cities . Thousands of civilians , many government soldiers , and some legislators marched through the streets of Mogadishu , calling for the dismissal of the President , the Parliament Speaker and the Parliament . The crowd also demanded that the Premier be reinstated and described Mohamed as the " only honest leader in recent years " . Posters of the UN Special Envoy were symbolically burned , with protestors appealing to the UN Secretary General to dismiss Mahiga due to what many felt was the latter ' s infringement on Somalia ' s sovereignty through his signing of the Kampala agreement . Attacks on hotels in which members of parliament were staying and at least five deaths were also reported . Additional demonstrations against the Premier ' s resignation were held in Galkacyo , a key trading city in the north - central Mudug region , as well as in Belet Hawo in the far south . Internationally , protests also reportedly took place in Cairo , Nairobi , Johannesburg , Sydney , London , Rome , Stockholm , Minneapolis and Toronto . In response , Prime Minister Mohamed released a statement through the state - run Radio Mogadishu commending the military for its rapid response and urging its troops to exercise restraint . He also appealed to the public to calm down , and indicated that " I have seen your expressions and heard your calls [ . . . ] You are part of the decision making — what you want must be heard . " Additionally , in a press conference , the Premier called for the immediate release of all protestors who had been detained , and stated that his administration would launch an independent investigation into their arrest . Weighing in on the demonstrations , Mogadishu ' s Mayor Mohamed Nur suggested that " what [ the demonstrators ] have a problem with is that two people go and decide the fate of this government without considering the feelings of this population " , and that putting the issue before Parliament for approval is a more democratic course of action . On 11 June 2011 , Prime Minister Mohamed released a statement indicating that the Kampala decision ought to be presented in Parliament for debate and appraised according to the laws stipulated in the national constitution . The Premier also stated that he would only step down if lawmakers voted to uphold the accord . This was echoed by the Cabinet , which indicated in a press release that , after having convened to discuss the Kampala decision , the Ministers agreed that the accord must be put before Parliament for evaluation . In addition , over 200 parliamentarians reportedly sought to urge the Prime Minister to reconvene Parliament so as to deliberate the decision , indicating in a separate statement that the accord deprived MPs of their legislative role vis - a - vis the government . On 12 June 2011 , President Sharif Ahmed released a statement wherein he condemned the protests , describing them as " illegal " . He also suggested that some government officials were financing the rallies in Mogadishu , and warned that the Al - Shabaab group of Islamists that is waging war against the federal government could try to exploit the gatherings to launch terrorist attacks . The same day , news reports surfaced indicating that UN Secretary General Ban Ki - Moon would sack Special Envoy Augustine Mahiga on account of a lack of tangible progress made and public confidence in Mahiga ' s work in Somalia . UN sources also stated that , due to prevalent allegations of graft , the Secretary General would fire half of the senior staff in various UN bureaus , including the UNPOS , UNDP , UNICEF , WHO and OCHA . In an interview on 16 June 2011 , Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs of Italy , Alfredo Mantica , expressed support for Prime Minister Mohamed ' s position with regard to the Kampala agreement . Mantica stated that the Italian government believed that the accord ought to be reviewed in Parliament . He also indicated that " the prime minister has been in office five months . And [ it is too ] early to judge his work . But what he has done so far has been very positive . It has achieved important results . The government already seemed a miracle [ . . . ] The strength of the instability in Somalia is a constant . And the prime minister represents stability . " On 19 June 2011 , Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed resigned from his position as Prime Minister of Somalia . Part of the controversial Kampala Accord ' s conditions , the agreement would also see the mandates of the President , the Parliament Speaker and Deputies extended until August 2012 , after which point new elections are to be organized . In his farewell speech , Prime Minister Mohamed indicated that he was stepping down in " the interest of the Somali people and the current situation in Somalia " . He also thanked his Cabinet for its efforts in improving the security situation and the standards of governance in the country . Abdiweli Mohamed Ali , Mohamed ' s former Minister of Planning and International Cooperation , was appointed as Acting Premier later the same day . A few days later , on 23 June 2011 , Ali was named permanent prime minister . Prime Minister Mohamed ' s resignation was immediately met with anger by the general public and many lawmakers . Apprehension regarding a possible resurgence of governmental corruption and lassitude , long - standing problems which Mohamed ' s administration had made significant strides toward eradicating , were cited as primary reasons for the consternation . According to one legislator , many policy - makers are trying to repeal the Kampala decision , as it also " subject [ s ] the country to trusteeship " . Another MP indicated that " lawmakers are united in their opposition to the deal " and " will object [ to ] it until we throw it away " . Observers have suggested that Mohamed ' s resignation could offer militants an opportunity to capitalize on the situation and set back the territorial gains made by his administration in the ongoing insurgency in southern Somalia . They have also opined that firing the Premier would not resolve the long - standing power struggle between President Sharif Ahmed and Parliament Speaker Sharif Hassan , but may inadvertently exacerbate and prolong it . Additionally , political analysts have suggested that the Kampala agreement presents other potential long - term issues , such as facilitating intervention and meddling by neighboring countries , with the Ugandan government ' s role as the final arbiter , in particular , cited as problematic . Responding to the Kampala decision , the Al - Shabaab insurgent group ' s head of policy and regions , Sheikh Hussein Ali Fidow , told reporters on 22 June 2011 that the accord ended in failure since it was " an example [ of how ] the country is managed by Uganda " and that " it is clear for the Somali people and the international community that [ the ] Kampala meeting [ on ] Somalia was aimed to coerce the Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed to step down " . In addition , the spokesman suggested that Somalia ' s citizenry was aware of what was going on and that it did not recognize President Sharif Ahmed and the Parliament Speaker Sharif Hassan as legitimate governmental authorities . He also reiterated his group ' s call for Ugandan troops to withdraw from the country . On 24 June 2011 , lawmakers reaffirmed their opposition to and intention of repealing the Kampala decision . The Chairman of the federal Information , Public Awareness , Culture and Heritage Committee , Awad Ahmed Ashareh , indicated that 165 legislators had tendered a motion in Parliament opposing the agreement , but the Speaker rebuffed it . Ashareh also stated that MPs would issue a vote of no confidence vis - a - vis the Speaker Hassan if he continued to refuse to permit debate to take place , suggesting that Hassan ' s refusal " contravenes the Charter and rules of procedure " . Following talks with parliamentarians , President Sharif Ahmed asserted on 28 June 2011 that , on account of opposition amongst legislators to the Kampala decision , the accord would be brought before Parliament for deliberation . He also indicated that the agreement would not be implemented unless approved by lawmakers . Operation Linda Nchi . In October 2011 , a coordinated operation between the Somalian military and the Kenyan military referred to as Linda Nchi began , with Kenyan troops crossing the border into southern Somalia in pursuit of Al - Shabaab militants that are alleged to have kidnapped several foreign tourists and workers inside Kenya . President Sharif along with Prime Minister Ali initially opposed the deployment of Kenyan troops into the country , as they felt it was a breach of an earlier joint defence pact reached with the Kenyan government that limited Kenya ' s supporting role to logistical activities . On 31 October , a Somalian delegation met in Nairobi with the Kenyan Premier Raila Odinga and other government officials to iron out differences and to outline a joint strategy vis - a - vis Operation Linda Nchi . After lengthy talks , the delegations issued a joint communique pledging coordinated military , political and diplomatic support for the mission , requesting that AMISOM peacekeepers police areas captured from Al - Shabaab , and that the International Criminal Court ( ICC ) begin formal investigations against the group ' s commanders . The two delegations also formed a joint " high - level co - ordinating committee " to maintain regular contacts between their respective governments . In early June 2012 , Kenyan forces were formally integrated into AMISOM . Analysts expect the additional AU troop reinforcements to help the Somali authorities gradually expand their territorial control . Post - transition . In February 2012 , Sharif Ahmed and other Somali government officials met in the northeastern town of Garowe to discuss post - transition political arrangements . After extensive deliberations attended by regional actors and international observers , the conference ended in a signed agreement between the President , Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali , Speaker of Parliament Sharif Adan Sharif Hassan , Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole , Galmudug President Mohamed Ahmed Alim and Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jama ' a representative Khalif Abdulkadir Noor stipulating that : a ) a new 225 member bicameral parliament would be formed , with a lower house and an upper house seating 54 senators ; b ) 30 % of the National Constituent Assembly ( NCA ) is earmarked for women ; c ) the President is to be appointed via a constitutional election ; and d ) the Prime Minister is selected by the President and he / she then names his / her Cabinet . On 23 June 2012 , the Somali federal and regional leaders met again and approved a draft constitution after several days of deliberation . The National Constituent Assembly overwhelmingly passed the new constitution on 1 August , with 96 % voting for it , 2 % against it , and 2 % abstaining . On 28 June 2012 , President Sharif Ahmed signed a cooperation deal in Dubai with Ahmed Mahamoud Silanyo , President of the separatist Somaliland region in northwestern Somalia . Referred to as the Dubai Charter , the agreement calls for greater coordination between Somalia ' s various political units and is part of broader international reconciliation efforts among all Somali parties . The presidents of the autonomous Puntland and Galmudug regions as well as the UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs also attended the signing . 2012 presidential elections . In August 2012 , Sharif Ahmed presented himself as a candidate for re - election in the year ' s national presidential elections . On 20 August , Ahmed ' s term as President of Somalia officially ended , concurrent with the conclusion of the Transitional Federal Government ' s mandate and the start of the Federal Government of Somalia . He was succeeded in office by General Muse Hassan Sheikh Sayid Abdulle , who had been serving in an interim capacity . Sharif Ahmed was among the top four presidential candidates who made it to the second round of voting . Two of the four finalists subsequently dropped out , leaving Sharif Ahmed to contest the presidency with the eventual winner , Hassan Sheikh Mohamud .