MOGADISHU (Kaab TV) – Former South West State president Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden on Tuesday announced the launch of a new political party in Mogadishu, just days after he and three other opposition figures struck a deal with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
Sharif Hassan named his party the National Progress and Unity Party, saying it would be open to all Somalis.
“We want Somalis from all five regions to join this movement,” he declared during the announcement.
The launch comes barely a week after Sharif Hassan, along with Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke, Dahir Mohamud Geelle, and Mohamed Mursal Abdirahman, signed an agreement with President Mohamud.
As we have reported week ago, the president made a payment of $1 million in inducements to secure the support of the four men, often described as opposition sprinters.
All four were previously key members of the opposition National Salvation Forum.
During Tuesday’s event, former parliament speaker Mohamed Mursal voiced his support for Sharif Hassan’s new party and was announced as its deputy chairman.
Sources close to Sharif Hassan told Kaab TV that he is preparing to run for the presidency of South West State, currently held by Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen, whose mandate expired more than a year ago.