Former Prime Minister of Somalia Abdirizak Haji Hussein who died on 31st January in a Minneapolis hospital has been laid to rest in a Mogadishu Cemetery after a memorial service held in the capital on Friday.
An airplane carrying the body of the deceased former Prime minister arrived at Mogadishu airport early morning hours of Friday where it was received by the nation’s President Hassan Sheikh, Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh, Parliament Speaker Mohamed Jawari, Puntland leader Abdiweli Gaas and other dignitaries who came to attend the funeral.
The Janaza prayers (Islamic funeral prayer) was performed in Mogadishu’s biggest Mosque, whilst the security of the city was tightened and security forces were poured into every road.
The burial took place in a cemetery located outskirts of the capital called ‘’Al irfid’’. He was buried besides his former colleague and Somali first democratic elected President Aden Abdulle Osman (Aden Adde).
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud who led the memorial service, sent his condolences to the families & Somali people he left out and paid tribute to the late former Premier.
“Today we pray for one of Somalia’s greatest heroes. Abdirizak Haji Hussein was a great man and a towering Somali patriot. His life should be an example to all Somalis as we seek to rebuild our great nation together. If there is one lesson we can all draw from his life and career it is the importance of national unity. Think how much we can achieve if we pull together. After years of division and despair, we must unite as one and achieve extraordinary things.”, Mr Hassan said at the burial service.
Late Abdirizak Haji Hussein died after a battle with pneumonia, he was the prime minister of the nation from 1964-67 during the civil administration. For the past two decades he was residing in the U.S state of Minnesota.
Ayub Abdirahman
Horseed Media
