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Editorial

 

Trivia: Where on earth can a Speaker of Parliament, implicated publicly of a theft of US$ 1 Million of public money in front of a sitting Parliament, go scot-free and even aspire for a Higher Office?

 

8 February, 2011

 

If you answered - Transitional Federal Parliament (TFP) in Mogadisho, Somalia, you are right!  And the subject character is the speaker of the Parliament Sharif Hassan Sheik Aden. The speaker has been publicly implicated in the theft of 1 million US$ in the Parliamentary session he was chairing on 30 Jan 2011. The speaker reportedly received these allegations in a "business-as-usual" manner, making no attempt to deny or defend himself. To our knowledge there has not been any legal action following these serious allegations.

The Speaker chaired another TFP session, on 3rd February 2011, which unilaterally decided to extend the TFP mandate by 3 more years from August 2011. There are reports circulating in the media, that Sharif Hassan is seeking to move to the highest office of TFG- the Presidency!

 

The story of Sharif Hassan, told in a proper context, characterizes every thing that is wrong with present day Somalia (TFG).  He epitomizes the corruption and lack of accountability at all levels of the TFG system. TFG has been a bottomless pit where its officials compete to line their pockets with the meager international aid and sham contracts to sell off pits and pieces of the Nation. Recently the International Crises Group's (ICG) Draft Report titled THE SOMALI TFG: AN ADMINISTRATION ON LIFE SUPPORT described the TFG System as"dangerously adrift, rudderless and may not survive to the end of its mandate".

Why is the so called International Community, which is keeping the life support system on the TFG, not demanding accountability? Why is it propping a system that has outlived its usefulness? International Community should realize that it is becoming an accomplice to all the wrongful actions of the TFG.

 

 

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