On 22 November 2007, then President of Somalia,
Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, nominated Hussein as Prime Minister of the
Transitional Federal Government following the earlier resignation of
Ali Mohammed Ghedi on 29 October.
Salim Aliyow Ibrow served as Interim Prime Minister between the tenure of Gedi and Hussein. Hussein was approved by
Transitional Federal Parliament in
Baidoa on 24 November, receiving 211 out of 212 votes, and he was sworn in immediately afterwards. Hussein's government, which he described as "all-inclusive", was appointed on 2 December, with 73 members; included in the government were 31 ministers, 11 state ministers, and 31 assistant ministers. required by the 2004
Transitional Federal Charter, which provides for the division of posts between
four main clans and a grouping of
smaller clans. Four of the ministers—
Hasan Muhammad Nur Shatigadud (who had been appointed Minister of Home Security),
Abdikafi Hassan,
Sheikh Aden Maden, and
Ibrahim Mohamed Isaq This new government was planned to include only 17 ministers and five deputy ministers, and was also to include people from outside of Parliament. Hussein appointed 15 ministers and five assistant ministers on 4 January 2008,
Peacekeeping and difficulties in office Since the Prime Minister came to office, he pushed for continued peace and unity amongst the Somali nation. The peacekeeping truce which was signed in
Djibouti in June 2008 was one of the outcomes of the work of Nur Adde and his government. Ten ministers (including two deputy prime ministers) and one assistant minister resigned from Hussein's Cabinet on 2 August 2008. The resigning ministers, most of whom were considered supporters of Yusuf, said that Hussein had not consulted them about Habeb's dismissal; they also criticized Hussein for failing to present a budget to parliament. Hussein reacted by accusing the resigning ministers of trying "to create political instability in the country and disrupt the implementation of the Djibouti agreement between the Somali Transitional Government and the opposition", At the same time, referring to moves in parliament to impeach him, Hussein said that he was willing to resign if parliament dissolved the government or if doing so would benefit the peace process. on 3 August, saying that the remaining replacements would be appointed after consultations with the people. Hussein strongly denied the accusations of incompetence and embezzlement. Hussein and President Yusuf signed a deal on 26 August that was intended to resolve the dispute between them, and they said before Parliament on 28 August that they had agreed on a number of changes, including the addition of five members to the Cabinet and the dissolution of the administrations in Mogadishu and
Banadir Region. The vote of confidence against Hussein's government was held on 1 September and was overwhelmingly defeated; there were 191 votes in favor of the government, nine votes against it, and two abstentions. President Yusuf announced on 14 December that he had dismissed Hussein and his government. Hussein said that Yusuf did not have the power to fire him without parliamentary approval, while Yusuf said that he believed Parliament would endorse the dismissal. Parliament supported Hussein in a vote on 15 December, but Yusuf nevertheless appointed
Mohamoud Mohamed Gacmodhere as Prime Minister to replace Hussein on 16 December.
Mustafa Duhullow, the Minister of Agriculture, described this as a "desperate measure" and a "personal wish that will not have legal effect". Guled announced his resignation on 24 December, and Hussein congratulated him on taking "the right step". Hussein was a candidate for president in the parliamentary vote for that position, held in late January 2009. He placed third in the first round with 59 votes and then withdrew his candidacy;
Sharif Ahmed won the election. Ahmed then chose
Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke to replace Hussein as Prime Minister on 13 February. Hussein was appointed Somalia's ambassador to Italy in June 2009. ==Death==