Corruption in government continues unabated- report

Corruption in government remains pervasive with no political will to fight it despite a litany of promises, an anti-corruption watchdog has said noting the government could be losing up to $20 million annually to graft cartels.

The 2018 State of Accountability report released Monday by the anti-graft watchdog Marqaati notes that President Mohamed Farmaajo’s administration has not made any tangible progress to stem corruption in government as cartels continue unabated.

The report notes that the government has not only failed to curb corruption in various ministries and departments but also failed to put in place constitutionally mandated organs to fight graft such as the Judicial Service Commission, Constitutional Court and Anti-Corruption Commission.

Instead, the report says, the current administration has emasculated key state organs such as parliament and the judiciary and also accused President Farmaajo’s administration of attempts to singularly rewrite the constitution with the intent of frustrating the federalisation process.

The Ministries of Interior and Defense stand out as most corrupt, the report indicates citing systemic corruption in the police, Criminal Investigations Department, Somali National Army, Department of Immigration and the intelligence agency, NISA.

“The rate of reporting has been the same throughout this period suggesting that nothing has changed,” Marqaati director Mohamed Mubarak told Goobjoog News. The watchdog uses an Accountability Feedback Mechanism which enables members of the public to report cases of corruption in government.

Based on the conduct of President Farmaajo government, Mubarak said, nothing indicates that they are interested in combating graft.

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The report cites several incidents of corrupt practices in ministries and departments. In one case, the report alleges that the Ministry of Commerce subcontracted the printing of business licenses to a third party which charges an extra $100 printing fee besides the mandated $300 by the ministry.

The Banaadir Regional Administration (BRA) has also come in the spotlight with the report noting the city administration’s revenues is used ‘to maintain support for the administration’ (Federal Government) at the parliament. Government loyalists are receiving ‘allowances’ from the PM’s office, the report says adding almost least 80 MPs were receiving between $3000 and $5000 from the PM’s office for at least a year.

The move by the US to suspend fuel and food aid to Somali National Army last December was a step in the right direction to holding government accountable, Mubarak said.

The report urges the government to work on creating constitutional bodies as mandated by the constitution, enshrine wealth declaration into law and fire and prosecute individuals implicated in corruption.

It also calls for implementation of an accountability mechanism at Banaadir Regional Administration