Ali Soilih Mtsashiwa was born in 1937 in Majunga (Madagascar), where he spent most of his childhood before travelling to France to continue his studies. During the 1960s, he moved to Comoros in order to work as a farmer until entering the nation´s political world in 1970.

Shortly after the islands became independent from France (1975), Soilih assumed power as President of the Revolutionary Council, applying socialist economic policies based on a mixture of Maoist and Islamic philosophies. Among his varied initiatives, he abolished certain traditions, reduced the legal voting age to 14, and legalised cannabis.

The growing popular discontent led to four failed coup d'état attempts against Soilih´s regime during his two and a half years in office. On May 13, 1978, the leader was overthrown and assassinated.

Source: Wikipedia