Face 2 Face Africa
Sunday July 1, 2018
On this day in 1960, Somalis thronged the stadium to celebrate the independence of the country. It marked the unification of the Italian Somalia and British Somalia to form the Republic of Somalia.
Subsequently, Abdullahi Issa and Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal formed a government under a trusteeship.
The first days of independence were peaceful until 1969 when Somali
political life fell into turmoil, partly because of the disintegration
of alliances and the fragmentation of clans.
Abdullahi Issa and Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal.
Abdirashid Ali Shermarke and Mohamed Siad Barre
President Abdirashid Ali Shermarke was assassinated in 1969 and a coup d’etat took place the day after his burial led by Mohamed Siad Barre, who went on to rule the country until 1991.
Here is a footage of the day of independence in Somalia.