Somali tycoon Abdullahi Ali Ahmed locally known as Somalia’s Donald Trump on Sunday announced his bid to vie for Presidency.
Ahmed also known as Ahmed Gees will be aiming to unseat his close family member incumbent President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
He announced his candidature at his luxury villa on the Lido beach in the capital Mogadishu.
Ahmed is said to be one of the main financiers of President Mohamud in the 2012 elections and his bid is said to be a blow to the head of state.
Adow is one of Somalia’s top
contractors with dealings with Amisom and other international organisations.
His business empire also includes importing of Khat from Kenya into Somalia and has a flight fleet of seven aircrafts and several shipping lines.
Ahmed has dual citizenship for Somalia and the US and has a wide network of contacts and business dealings in Kismayu and Galmudug with a lot of influence on the regional heads of states of Jubaland, Galmudug and Hirshabelle.
His business empire has spread to Kenya and South Sudan.
A source close to the multimillionaire enterpreneur told Radio Dalsan that he had parted ways with the incumbent president after a disagreement over president’s.
Analysts say that finances has a major influence on the presidential elections in Somalia.
“As long as you pay the Somali parliament you can win. There interest on cash overides that on country’s prosperity” Former Ambsassador to Senegal Mohamed Husein told Radio Dalsan.
“So most likely millionaires like Said Dani of Puntland and Adow in Mogadishu stand a good chance if they can influence MPs” Hussein added.
