By: Malyun Ali
Somalia prime minister gives first ever visit to former president Barre’s grave in Garbaharey town of Gedo region.
Garbaharey (RBC) Somalia Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon in his regional tour to Garbaharey town has today visited the grave of former president of Somalia General Mohamed Siad Barre who passed away in 1995 becoming the first high ranking government official who goes to the grave of the former military dictator, RBC Radio reports.
The prime minister accompanied by government ministers, members of the parliament, military officials and regional administrators went to look and pray for the cemetery in Garbaharey town where late Mohamed Siad Barre was buried after dying in a political exile in January 1995.
“He was a great leader and his achievements were quite obvious in this country. I wish him paradise.” The 55-yrs old prime minister prayed raising his hands to the sky while standing on the cemetery.
He then called for the Somali people to forgive the former president.
The visit of the former president’s grave in Garbaharey town came as Somalia prime minister carries on his listening and learning tour to a number of the country’s regions.
Locals say the visit becomes a historic one as it is the only first its kind since the death of the former military ruler in 1995.
Late Mohamed Siad Barre who is also seen as a great nationalist had been ruling the country for more than 20 years of military rule, Barre’s Supreme Revolutionary Council was eventually forced from power in the early 1990s by a coalition of armed clan militias that opposed the regime. President Barre was forced into exile and then died in Nigeria in January 2nd 1995 where he was given a political exile, but was returned to Somalia for burial in his home region of Gedo.
Returning from civil war, the new federal government of Somalia is struggling to gain the local support from its people in order to pave the way for what the politicians described as a functioning federal system in the horn of Africa country.
RBC Radio
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