Mohamed Yusuf Haji

Mohamed Yusuf Haji
محمد يوسف حاجي
Minister of State for Defence
Incumbent
Assumed office
8 January 2008
Member of Parliament, Ijara Constituency
In office
2007–2008
Personal details
Political party Kenya African National Union

Mohamed Yusuf Haji (Somali: Maxamed Yuusuf Xaaji, Arabic: محمد يوسف حاجي‎) is an ethnic Somali politician based in Kenya.[1]

Political career

Haji was born to an Ogaden Darod family, the same Somali clan as the former Defense Minister of Somalia, Mohamed Abdi Gandhi.[2]

Haji is a member of the Kenya African National Union (KANU) political party, and was elected to represent the Ijara Constituency in the National Assembly of Kenya at the 2007 parliamentary elections.[3]

He also served as an Assistant Minister in the Office of the President from 1998-2001 and as the Minister of State (Cabinet Affairs) Office of the President in the year 2002. On 8th January 2008, Haji was appointed the Minister of State for Defence after the 27th December 2007 general elections.[4]

In October 2011, in a coordinated support operation with the Somali army, Haji spearheaded an incursion of Kenyan army troops into neighboring Somalia to pursue Islamist militants from the Al-Shabaab group that had allegedly kidnapped several foreign workers in Kenya.[5]

References

  1. ^ Daily Nation, May 28, 1999, Biwott, Barng'etuny financed violence, inquiry told, by Njeri Rugene
  2. ^ Somalia's Divided Islamists
  3. ^ Members Of The 10th Parliament. Parliament of Kenya. Accessed June 19, 2008.
  4. ^ Ministry of State for Defence, The Kenya Government. Accessed June 20, 2010.
  5. ^ Security&Itemid=115 Kenyan ramps up security at Somali border, eyes al Shabaab