 He also had significant influence on the northern parts of the capital Mogadishu where he controlled a militia of around 400 men.He was a leader of the Somali Reconciliation and Restoration Council (SRRC) in the 2001–2004 time period, and the Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Counter-Terrorism (ARPCT) in 2006.In early May 2007, the Transitional Federal Government named him both the governor and mayor of Banadir and Mogadishu, respectively; he was dismissed in July 2008.