Mohammed Hirmoge
Power in Somalia has long rested in the hands of a few, often, just one: the president. But today, it’s not just political power that’s centralized. Financial resources and state assets are also firmly under presidential control.
A clear sign of this is the recent mass sale of government land. While some in government attempt to justify these illegal sales by claiming the proceeds were used to purchase military hardware, that explanation only raises deeper concerns. If this is true, why haven’t these transactions appeared in the annual budget approved by Parliament?
Let’s be frank, when government spending relies on illegal revenue, it’s laundering by another name.
Meanwhile, the country is broke. Young people are out of options, out of patience, and out of hope. The economy is a wreck. And while young men and women continue to die trying to cross the Mediterranean, the political class remains eerily silent. One wonders, why aren’t these issues front and center?
Because silence can be bought. Silence is a commodity on sale. People could be angry, but silent anger is only a pyschological incovenience to thosewho harbor.
Where past administrations used threats, intimidation, and smear campaigns to silence opposition, this one has found a new tactic; seduction.
High-level critics are offered eye-watering sums of money, top-tier appointments, even plots of land. But if you’re a lesser-known dissenter, don’t expect an offer, expect a crackdown.
It’s a tiered temptation, carrots for some, sticks for others. It’s unprecedented, and dangerously so. This shift doesn’t just silence dissent, it erodes the foundation of accountability and sets a precedent where loyalty is bought, not earned.
When loyalty is bought, service delivery is driven not by competence, it becomes a matter of personal allegiance, and not public good.
And what of Parliament? Let’s not sugarcoat it, Parliament today functions more like a sub-office of the presidency than an entity that checks on executive power. It is what it is.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of Somali Stream.