There is a famous quote from Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud that critics often recall. Defending the presence of his children in key government institutions, he said that if they are qualified for the job, “why not hire them and give them the same right as any other?”

The issue, however, goes beyond his children simply being citizens entitled to government employment. Their appointments have become entrenched across state institutions, with family members now occupying posts that span nearly every major arm of governance.

The issue is no longer only about the President hiring his children. It is more about his immediate family and relatives being in every key position in the Government. In a dramatic purge, the government swept aside officials from distant clans, clearing the way for President Hassan Sheikh’s children, nephews, nieces, and other close relatives to seize coveted posts.

Isbahysi finds that each of the President’s children is involved in either a mega project of the government or is employed in a ministry. Having a staff member who is a presidential child in a ministry doesn’t make them just employees, but rather gives them a bigger role in that ministry, sometimes more powerful than the minister himself.

A good example is the President’s daughter, Jihan Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who has gained notoriety for being the de facto foreign minister. Currently, Jihan has the biggest influence at the ministry, with the blessing of her father, the President.

She instructs the minister and is so powerful that if he disobeys her instructions, she can have her father replace him, making the minister answerable to her. Interestingly, despite making key decisions for the Somali government, Jihan lacks diplomatic experience.

Then enters her husband, Adam Hussein Roble, who is also a close relative of hers. He is one of the main beneficiaries of the government and has wielded a huge role in it. He was recently named Executive Director of the Somali Development and Reconstruction Bank, with cabinet approval. He now oversees the bank’s daily operations and policy direction.

Another of the President’s sons who is also notorious for his role in the government is Mohamed Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, the President’s eldest son. Mohamed is the man behind the grabbing of Sinai land, which led to the displacement of thousands of people who used to reside there and run markets and businesses. 

According to reliable news sources, Mohamed plans to build what his father described as Africa’s largest university general hospital and cancer specialist center.

Another son, Colonel Abdifatah Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, was appointed in April 2025 as Commander of the Presidential Special Guard, the elite unit tasked with the President’s personal security.

His appointment followed the promotion of Lieutenant Colonel Maslax Mahamud Mohamed to head the broader Presidential Guard Brigade. Abdifatah had joined the Somali armed forces during his father’s current term.

Abdiqani Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, yet another son of the president, has just been appointed Director-General of Somali National University with effect from September 6, 2025. His wife was also given a top job as Director General of the Somali Bureau of Standards.

Critics say the appointments are part of a wider scheme by President Sheikh to concentrate political, financial, and institutional power within his immediate family.