On October 21, 1969, Major General Mohamed Siad Barre and the Supreme Revolutionary Council took control of Somalia in a bloodless coup, just days after the assassination of President Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke. Barre quickly declared Somalia a Socialist state, introduced laws that allowed detention without trial, and strengthened the power of the intelligence services. His regime began with promises of reform and national unity but gradually became more authoritarian.
One of Siad Barre’s most notable achievements was the standardization of the Somali language. In 1971, a government committee introduced a new Latin-based script, which led to a national literacy campaign targeting rural and nomadic communities. Teachers, students, and professionals were mobilized to spread literacy, dramatically reducing illiteracy rates across the country. During this period, Somalia also joined the Arab League, and Barre served as chair of the Organization of African Unity (OAU).
Despite early progress, Barre’s government became increasingly repressive. High-ranking officials and religious scholars who opposed his policies, such as the 1975 Family Law that granted equal inheritance rights to women, were arrested or executed.
The Ogaden War with Ethiopia (1977–78) initially saw Somali forces gaining ground, but Soviet and Cuban intervention helped push Somalia back. A failed coup in 1978 and increasing human rights abuses, including the 1988 Hargeisa massacre, further weakened Barre’s grip on power.
By 1990, national opposition had grown, and a group of 114 intellectuals and leaders urged Barre to resign—a call he rejected. On January 27, 1991, after rebel forces entered Mogadishu, Barre fled the country and later settled in Nigeria, where he died in 1995.
His legacy remains controversial: while credited with modernizing Somalia’s education and infrastructure, his authoritarian rule and the civil war that followed his departure continue to divide public opinion.
About The Author
