Haji Muse Boqor

Haji Muse Boqor was born in Bargal, a town in present-day Bari, Somalia. He memorized the Quran at a young age. In 1929, he moved to Mogadishu to continue his education.^[2]

Boqor joined the Somali Youth League, a group fighting for Somalia's independence. During the 10 years of Italian trusteeship, he served in the cabinet of Premiership of Abdullahi Isse. He became Somalia's first Minister of Interior Affairs and held this position until the country gained independence in 1960.^[3][4]

On 15 October 1969, Somali president Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke was assassinated in the Somalian city of Las Anod^[1] by 22-year-old Said Yusuf Ismail, who shot the president seven times.^[1] President Sharmarke fell to the ground and died at the scene.^[5] After the president's death, Boqor was in contention to become the next president. However, just six days later, on October 21, 1969, a military coup took place.^[6] The Somali Army, led by Siad Barre, took control of the government without resistance, marking the beginning of Barre's rule over Somalia.^[7]

After the military coup, many politicians, scholars, and religious leaders, including Boqor, were arrested, being seen as potential rivals and a threat to the new rule.^[2][8] After his release, he became one of the 114 members of the "Manifesto Group", which signed a peace agreement aimed at ending fighting between Siad Barre's government and United Somali Congress (USC) militias in Mogadishu.  

On January 5, 1991, Boqor was killed by mortar shelling in the Kaaraan District.^[2]