| Jama Ali Jama جامع علي جامع | |
| Order: | President of Puntland |
| Vicepresident: | Ahmad Mahmud Gunle[1] |
| Term Start: | 14 November 2001 |
| Term End: | 8 May 2002 |
| Predecessor: | Yusuf Haji Nur |
| Successor: | Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed |
| Birth Place: | Qardho |
Jama Ali Jama (Somali: Jaamac Cali Jaamac, Arabic: جامع علي جامع) is a Somali politician. He was the President of Puntland from November 14, 2001, to May 8, 2002.[2] In May 2002 he was forcible deposed by Ethiopian troops seeking to install his political rival Abdullahi Yusuf as president.[3]
Jama was born to a family from the Osman Mahmoud sub-clan of the Majeerteen Darod.
He was educated in Moscow.
Jama later joined the Somali National Army, rising to the rank of colonel.
In the mid-1970s, the Soviet Union promoted Jama as the chief ideologue of socialism in the Horn of Africa. He was later imprisoned for 11 years by the regime of Mohamed Siad Barre after having been accused of participating in an abortive coup d'état. Jama was recognized by Amnesty International as a prisoner of conscience.[4]
In November 2001, Jama was elected as President of Puntland. However, the position was contested with outgoing President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, who wanted his tenure extended.[5]
Jama was deposed as president of Puntland in May 2002 when the Ethiopian army helped oust him in order to install Abdullahi Yusuf. Yusuf had used the 'War on Terror' to justify the operation and claimed Jama supported Al-Itihaad Al-Islamiya.[6] Fighting broke out between forces loyal to Yusuf and Jama during January 2003.[7]
Jama later became a legislator in the Transitional Federal Parliament (TFP).[8]