He is probably one of the luckiest post civil war Somali political figures who like the proverbial nine lives of a cat has continued to reinvent himself in the successive administrations despite.
Abdullahi Mohamed Ali popularly known as “Saanbalolshe” debuted in to the shifty Somali politics in 2009 after the death of of a clan member politician Omar Hashi Internal Security Minister in the Sheikh Shariff administration who was killed in a suicide bomb that year in Beledweyne.
Saanbalolshe had been working for the UN agency OCHA based in the Kenya capital Nairobi. The 4.5 system favored him as the choice to take over the Internal Security ministry docket
The former aid agency worker would then occupy in a period of ten years top government position in the Sheikh Shariff Sheikh Ahmed, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and the Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo’s administrations.
In that he has been an twice, Somalla’s Ambassador to the UK, Somalia Ambassador to Turkey, twice the National Intelligence Service Agency chief and Internal Security minister.
Notably he did no occupy any of the positions more than one year.
Sanbalolshe was sacked as the NISA chief together with the Police chief in October 29 following the Nasa Hablod Hotel attack where 29 people.
But has the political life of Sanbalolshe finally come to an end?
Last Sunday Sanbaloshe hopes to relive his political life were dashed when he faced a sounding defeat at the Hirshabelle’s Jowhar parliamentary seat by election.
According to Abukadir Mohamed a political commentator Sanbaloolshe nine lives may be on its political ICU
“Even after three years I can imagine he will not be able to get another position. He needs to struggle for 2 reasons his clan possibilities and his failures in the past” Abdukadir said .
Sanbalolshe has blamed the government for his defeat in the by election.
Abdihakin Elmi a Nairobi based commentator on Somali politics said the reason is Sanbaloolshe is a close friend of former Premier Omar Sharmarke being his minister and campaigner with links to the UAE connection that is seen as a threat to the Farmaajo administration.
Sanbaloolshe remains controversial “Diaspora should go back their second home and allow me to serve you as we live here. I don’t have a passport” he said in his election held in Jowhar on 28th of January, where he was a contestant
The former NISA chief is said to have not benefited much financially from his past posts and is a loyal civil servant who is ready to confront political giants as was seen when faced off former warlords in the weapons fiasco.
Sambolesha is a graduate from Nairobi universities with two degrees. He is an intellectual in management and public relations.
