A Tribute to Honorable Mohamed Osman Maye

by Dr. Ali S. Faqi
Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Mohamed Osman Maye

We have received the news of the assassination of honorable Mohamed O. Maye with shock, grief and rage. This was another dark day in the history of Somalia, particularly for those of us who love peace.  His assassination was carried out by the same people, using the same cruel methodology and executing him in the same sacred venue as his former colleague Mr. Aballa Derow who was murdered a little over two years ago; exactly on Friday, 28 July 2006.

These cowardly dastards did it again to silence a young man who was known throughout his political career to speak truth to power, never failing to point out to the cruel injustices being perpetrated in Southern Somalia by those who don’t care about justice nor want peace.   We will never know who was behind this political assassination, but it is very clear that Mr. Maye was murdered by those who felt intimated by his outspoken critic and who couldn’t withstand the fact that a man from unarmed clans can oppose their anarchic views with no fear from anybody, but Allah. 

There are many individuals in the current leadership (government or opposition) who can get other people to do their dirty work; as a result more dirty work gets done on a daily basis. We all know that human life has no value in Somalia; killing is a routine act performed by all sides of the Somali political spectrum.
According to the Somali media, Mr. Maye was shot on the head and was immediately pronounced dead outside a mosque in Baidoa, where he had attended evening prayers. 

Mr. Mohamed Maye was a very brave man who opposed clan supremacy and clan exploitation in the south of Somalia. He was a man with strong principles and commitments. He was never afraid to speak out the truth. Among the 200 and plus parliamentarians in Baidoa, Mr. Maye stood out in courageously opposing any form of corruption, nepotism and openly despised violence as means to achieve political goals.

On September 8, 2008 he has criticizes the TFG for not providing security to the parliamentarians. His last words were “we are dead men walking”, referring to the Somali parliamentarians in Baidoa and for that he was awfully prescient.     I knew Mr. Maye for a long time and to me he was a quintessential citizen. I also spoke to him several times during his political career in the TFG and I found him to be genuinely interested in contributing to the reconstitution of the Somali state at any cost to his life.   He died for a greater cause and the criminals who snuffed his young life will meet their just deserts at the hands of Allah. My deepest sympathy and my prayers are with his family in general and in particular his wife and his orphan children. I am confident that his political believes and legacy will continue. 

Inaa Lilaah Wa Inaa Lilaahi Rajicuun.

Dr. Ali S. Faqi
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