In one of the most surreal full-circle moments in Somaliland politics, beloved actor Yusuf Abdullahi Muse — better known to millions as Yusuf Ceegaag — is swapping the small screen for the political stage. Ceegaag, who famously portrayed a lawmaker in hit Somali dramas, is now officially running for a seat in Somaliland’s Parliament. But this time, the votes are real, and so is the power.
Ceegaag confirmed his candidacy in an interview with BBC Somali, laughing off suggestions that his announcement might be “just another role.” The irony? He once played a corrupt man who denied his sister her inheritance — a performance so convincing that fans berated him in public. “That’s when I realized just how powerful a role can be,” he said. “People don’t just watch — they feel.”
Now, Ceegaag is betting that emotional resonance can be transformed into electoral support. “I’ve played the part,” he said. “Now I want to live it.”
He joins a global cast of actors-turned-politicians: Reagan, Schwarzenegger, India’s Vijayakanth, and Ukraine’s Zelensky — the comedian who became a wartime president. But Ceegaag’s story is uniquely Somali. His roles were never just entertainment — they were critiques, reflections of society’s ugliest truths: systemic inequality, corrupt elites, and the quiet suffering of everyday citizens.
From school plays in Hargeisa to prime-time Ramadan TV, Ceegaag built a career on cultural authenticity. He made people laugh, cry, and rage — often within a single scene. And now, he’s asking them to do something even more radical: vote.
His transition from storyteller to statesman underscores a deeper truth about Somali society — that power doesn’t just come from titles or tribes. It comes from trust. And Ceegaag, for all his scripted scandals, has earned something rare: a reputation.
While some joke he’s still “stuck in character,” others say it’s exactly this blend of empathy, performance, and public connection that makes him a compelling candidate. After all, in a political landscape plagued by cynicism and corruption, maybe what Somaliland needs is someone who’s spent decades embodying the people — not exploiting them.
The curtain is rising. The cameras are off. And Yusuf Ceegaag is ready for his next role: parliamentarian.
