[4] Hussein began his professional career in the early 1950s as a police officer for Italian Somaliland before Somalia gained its independence.

[6] On 22 November 2007, then President of Somalia, Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, nominated Hussein as Prime Minister of the Transitional Federal Government following the earlier resignation of Ali Mohammed Ghedi on 29 October.

Hussein was approved by Transitional Federal Parliament in Baidoa on 24 November, receiving 211 out of 212 votes, and he was sworn in immediately afterwards.

[11] Four of the ministers—Hasan Muhammad Nur Shatigadud (who had been appointed Minister of Home Security), Abdikafi Hassan, Sheikh Aden Maden, and Ibrahim Mohamed Isaq[9]—promptly resigned on 3 December,[8][9] complaining that their clan, the Rahanwein (one of the four major clans), was inadequately represented in the government[8][11] and that they had not been consulted on their appointments beforehand.

The motion alleged incompetence and embezzlement and criticized the government for failing to present a budget or provide national stability and security.

[23] On 29 October 2008, the leaders of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) asked Hussein to form a new Cabinet in hopes of stabilizing the situation.

He also expressed confidence that a new constitution would be "drafted very soon and subjected to a referendum" and that laws pertaining to political parties and elections would be passed by Parliament during the six months to follow.

[29] Ahmed then chose Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke to replace Hussein as Prime Minister on 13 February.

[31] On 1 April 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hussein died at King's College Hospital in Camberwell, London whilst infected by COVID-19.