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President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud Marks Somalia's 66th Independence and Unification Day with Military Display, Wreath-Laying and a Call for National Unity
On the 66th anniversary of the day the Somali Republic was born, the President laid flowers at the monument to those who made it possible, watched his armed forces march through the capital, and called on his people to protect what was built at such cost.
MOGADISHU, 1 July 2026 (SONNA) — Sixty-six years ago, on 1 July 1960, the southern regions of Somalia gained their independence and united with the northern regions to give birth to the Somali Republic. On Tuesday, President of the Federal Republic of Somalia H.E. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud marked that anniversary at the head of a national ceremony that brought together the country's military, its institutions, and its people in one of the most significant Independence Day commemorations the capital has seen.
Honouring the Heroes of Independence
The President began the day's proceedings by laying a wreath at Daljirka Dahsoon, Mogadishu's most iconic landmark, in tribute to the Somali heroes who gave their lives for the country's independence and unification. He paused at the monument in a moment of solemn recognition, marking the occasion not only as a celebration but as an act of remembrance for the long struggle that made the Somali Republic possible.
The President said the sacrifices of those who fought for Somalia's freedom and unity carry an enduring obligation on the living: to remember the price of independence and to protect what was won.
A Military Display That Showed How Far Somalia Has Come
The ceremony featured a high-level military parade by units of the Somali National Armed Forces, who displayed their capabilities and readiness in a formation that drew widespread attention. Armoured vehicles, modern military equipment, and combat aircraft were on show, giving the occasion the character of a national strength demonstration as much as a celebration.
The display was organised to the highest standard and reflected the progress the Federal Government has made in rebuilding and professionalising the country's armed forces. For many watching in Mogadishu's streets, it was a visible marker of an institution that has changed significantly from what it was only a few years ago.
A President Among His People
Beyond the formal ceremony, the President marked the occasion in a way that drew significant attention across the capital. In the hours before and after the official proceedings, he joined thousands of Mogadishu residents in the streets, celebrating alongside the public without a heavy weapons detail, a moment that Deputy Minister of Information Abdiraahman Yusuf Al-adala described as historic in its own right.
The image of a Somali president moving freely among his people in the heart of the capital on Independence Day carried a message about the city's security transformation that no official statement could deliver as clearly.
A Call for Unity, Security and Self-Reliance
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud extended his congratulations to the Somali people on this significant national occasion. He used the address to reinforce the importance of protecting national unity, solidarity, and sovereignty as the foundation on which a secure, developed, and self-reliant Somalia must be built.
The celebrations of 1 July 2026 came five days after the 26 June Independence Week commemorations, completing a week that saw Somalia mark its history with graduations, military parades, presidential addresses, diplomatic outreach, and a city full of people who chose to be in the streets. The Somali Republic turned 66. And it did so loudly, and in public, and without fear.
