21, Oktoobar 1969. Kacaanki Barakaysnaa
Jaale Maxamed Siyaad Barre
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The most glorious day in modern Somali history when Jaale Maxamed Siyaad Barre siezed power in a bloodless coup to steer the country away from the impending crash and fall that was about to happen post assassination of AUN C/Rashid Shermarke!
How it unfolded. In the early hours of the morning of 21l October I969 the army
occupied key points throughout the capital, and - with the aid of the police, who seem, however, to have been initially at least somewhat reluctant accomplices - the members of the previous Government and
other leading politicians and personalities were rounded up.
The corrupt National Assembly was closed, political parties were abolished and declared a relic of the old government, and
it was announced that the state would be governed by a Supreme Revolutionary Council. The SRC or Golaha Sare Ee Kacaanka
Corruption and tribalism would be eliminated, and true justice and democracy restored. While honouring existing treaties, the military regime would support national liberation movements and the struggle for Somali unification.
The country would henceforth be known as the Somali Democratic Republic.
The membership of the Supreme Revolutionary Council was announced on I November; predictably its President turned out to be General Mohammad Siad Barre, Commander of the Army, who was
supported by 24 other officers, listed in descending order of rank from
major-general to captain.
Of the two initial Vice-Presidents, one was significantly General Korshell, General Abshir's successor as police commandant. These members of the S.R.C. were to be assisted by a 14-man civilian secretariat of 'secretaries' fulfilling much the same function as previous civilian ministers - but without their power.
The appointments announced were certainly promising, and included a high proportion of the ablest civil servants!
