MOGADISHU, Somalia – In one of the unprecedented moves, Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble on Sunday swapped his cabinet amid a continuing stalemate that has unleashed uncertainty in Somalia’s political landscape in recent months.
The Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Duran Farah, swapped positions with the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, Mohamed Salat, but strangely enough, no reason has been given for the changes of President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo’s outgoing government.
But sources have told Axadlethat the movement was catapulted by massive corruption on Khat imports from Ethiopia, which reportedly painted the Ministry of Transport and Aviation in a bad light.
According to reports, a dispute erupted between the current former Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Mohamed Abdullahi Salad [Omaar] and Mogadishu-based Khat merchants distributing the stimulant.
The sources confirmed to Axadlethat the businessmen, who are mostly close relatives of Prime Minister Roble, have demanded that Omar be replaced by Duran Ahmed Farah, the Labor minister.
“The Prime Minister has, in accordance with the demands of Khat distributors and in consultation with the President, replaced the two ministers,” said a source familiar with the fraud scandal.
According to available information, Omar was the mastermind behind Ethiopian Khat imports into Somalia due to high market demand after the government banned Miraa imports from Kenya. He had entered into a contract with Ethiopian traders to import Khat from Ethiopia, where Ethiopian Airlines was the carrier.
And Hassan Farmajo, brother of President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, Ali Yare, deputy Mogadishu security officer and an anonymous businessman, is also believed to be the forces behind the cartels behind the illegal trade.
“Hassan Farmajo’s role was to sign the necessary documents from the president,” the sources added, in what could now open a pandora’s box about the country’s suspicious policies and fading confidence among the political elites.
Ethiopian Khat earns $ 75,000 a day in both service and tax, according to Somalia’s customs department. Of that amount, $ 40,000 is received by the Treasury Department, while the remaining $ 35,000 is shared by Omar, Hassan Farmajo, Ali Yare, and some set aside to fund social media trolls and campaign against Farmajo’s critics.
“Omar’s contribution to the Ethiopian Khat market in Somalia has earned him $ 7,500 a day – meaning he earned $ 225,000 a month,” added those close to the contract, whose details remain secret.
Kenyan Khat was the most widespread in Somalia. However, the Pharmajo administration’s takeover of imposing the ban based on Covid-19 is believed to be based on the marketing of Ethiopian Khat and individuals through a service provider.
The government has not responded directly to recent allegations that would raise political temperatures in addition to provoking sentiment and corruption in the country’s economic resources, including the airport.
AXADLETM
