Corruption and Uncertain election make Somalia’s international partners wary
Somalia’s Western backers fear the country’s former president Mr. Farmaajo unwilling or unable to accelerate the process for holding parliamentary and presidential elections on schedule in 2020/2021.
The country became the nexus between Qatar and International players since Somalia’s 2017 Elections in which President Farmaajo. was elected. The International players and Qatar destabilizing involvement in Somalia should trigger US government sanctions very soon.
The US government would like to see Somalia to be stable democracy, obeying the rule of law and able to defend itself from Alshabaab. But, the heavy lifting is on the Somali shoulders.
Somalia’s international partners’ worry is that Farmaajo have been using Federal Police, Security and Intelligence. Apparatuses to suppress freedom of expression of political oppositions and journalists essential components of democracy.
Somalia’s International partners have been shocked by the The embattled Somali president whose term in office expired when he attacked his predecessors and other Presidential candidates with Turkey trained the Gorgor forces to suppress the internal opposition in Somalia, but these forces did not play a significant role in fighting the Al-Shabaab terrorist movement, unlike the Somali special forces Danab Brigade that was trained by the United States and plays important roles in the fight against Al-Shabaab.
Somalia’s corruption have risen and became so pervasive that it created a culture of impunity where top officials are not jailed for reported embezzlement or bribe-taking that has disappointed International Partners.
Corruption also prevents people from benefiting fully from the wealth generated by their country’s natural resources. While the exploration of oil or mining in Somalia will be generating huge profits, it will also create. strong incentives for corruption as seen already in President Farmaajo Government. Somalia has weak. Government institutions. pervaded by endemic corruption.
The ministers and heads of president Farmajo agencies don’t promote ethical behavior for the lack of clear examples and tone set at the top.
Fighting corruption requires political will to create strong fiscal and accountability institutions that promote integrity and accountability throughout the public sector, which’s what Farmaajo Government lacks.
What Somalia now risks, is “squandering the goodwill and embryonic governance it got since 2004.” Farmaajo government’s calculation is that there will. be no election no matter what.
It is crucial that the international Partners stick to the election agenda for the simple reason of not wasting the progress, resources, and energies invested so long in Somalia. Without election, Somali people will suffer again.
Abdiaziz Amalo
