In 2021 Hirshabelle President Ali Gudlaawe was chosen by our audience as Somali’s Person of the year of 2021 and, deservedly, the Most Influential Somali Politician of 2021. His honor was the result of balloting from dynamic Somalis around the globe, who were nominated on the Somali Magazine Website. The best of the best of the Somali people elected him as the Somali Person of the year of 2021, the honor only awarded by the nation’s most sophisticated publication — Somali Magazine.
President Ali Gudlaawe began his career managing the money of Middle Shabelle, as the Chief of Finance there. Over the next 8 years he advanced to Deputy Governor and then Governor of the area. In 2016 he became Vice President of Hirshabelle State of Somalia, before being elected to the top spot there in 2020.
The state president is known as a healer. He played a key role in bringing together the Adale district and Jowhar district to end fighting in Beletweyne in Hiiraan. More recently he took center stage when the Federal government tried to extend their mandate two years without an election.
Ali Gudlaawe issued a letter, along with President Ahmed Qoorqoor of Galmudug, calling for free, fair, and transparent elections. This sent rival security forces back to their barracks.
More recently, Ali Gudlaawe has set a shining example of how to conduct national elections in his state. While other state leaders have been accused of hand-picking their own favorites and pitting them against straw men, Ali Gudlaawe’s process has received universal praise for being rules-based and fair. The Hirshabelle President addressed Parliament to declare that any candidate meeting the necessary criteria would be allowed to run.