Muna Khalif

Muna Khalif (Somali: Muna Khalif Sheekh Abuu, Arabic: منى خليف‎), popularly known as Muna Kay,[2] is a Somali-American entrepreneur, fashion designer and legislator. She is the founder and CEO of the Muna Kay brand. Khalif also serves as an MP in the Federal Parliament of Somalia, and she's elected from Southwest region, specially Barawe City.

Muna Khalif
منى خليف
MP in the Federal Parliament of Somalia
Assumed office
November 2016
Personal details
Born1974-19751994/1995 (age 25–26)[1]
Somalia
Political partyIndependent

Personal life
Muna Khalif wearing one of her Muna Kay brand modern jilbāb designs.

Muna Khalif (full name - Muna Khalif Sheikh Abuu) was born in Somalia.[3][4] Her family is from the Tuni clan.[4] After the civil war broke out in her place of birth, she and her parents emigrated to the United States.[2] Khalif studied nursing at college. She later also took courses in fashion design.

Career

Muna Kay

Khalif is the founder and CEO of Muna Kay, an eponymous clothing line that caters to the Islamic market. She established the brand in order to provide young Muslim women with fashionable attire that adheres to prescribed standards of modesty. Khalif later launched Baby Norah, an infant garment collection named after her daughter.[3]

As of 2016, the Muna Kay company operates internationally, with retail outlets in North America, East Africa and Dubai. It also has a manufacturing hub in China.[3]

Additionally, Khalif is the president of the Muna Kay Foundation. The philanthropic organization offers help to the disadvantaged, and provides artisanal training and mentorship to women and girls.[3]

Federal Parliament of Somalia
Federal legislator Muna Khalif chairing a political workshop.

In November 2016, Khalif presented herself as a candidate for a legislative seat in the Lower House of the Federal Parliament of Somalia. She was elected a representative for the South West State, earning 41 ballots.[4]

An electoral oversight body later called for a reelection on the grounds that Khalif and seven other MPs had not met the ballot threshold. The Supreme Court upheld this ruling. However, the decision was eventually overturned by the Federal Parliament, with the Lower House instead authorizing the incumbency of Khalif and the other lawmakers.[5]

References
  1. "How She Got There: Muna Khalif, CEO & Founder of the Muna Khalif Brand". hercampus.com. 18 June 2018.
  2. "Somalia to usher in most diversed Parliament in History". Iftiimin. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  3. "Entrepreneurship - The Fashion Designer with a Big Dream". The Somalia Investor. 1 (4). October–December 2015. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  4. "Four More MPs Elected to the Lower House in Baidoa". UN. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  5. "Judiciary set for supremacy war as House 'annuls' Court ruling over election of 8 MPs". Garsoor Online. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
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