(Muse Jeeh, freelance writer, Hargeisa, Somaliland)
In Somaliland, corruption is found almost everywhere as it has increased the poverty rate of the local people. Corruption has been an epidemic and daily practices during the outgoing administration of President Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud (Silanyo) and his team.
According to the Somaliland National Corruption Perception Survey in 2013, about 76.6% of the people surveyed believed that corruption is common in public institutions and became customary and accepted as an informal part of everyday life.
Thus, I personally believe that the new government is needed to combat corruption or otherwise, situation would be out of control if the corruption perpetrators are not punished by law.
Following this situation, in April, 2017, the out-going president had a meeting with Anticorruption agencies of the National Good Governance and Anticorruption Commission (GGACC), the Auditor General of the State and the Attorney General ordering to start investigations about any government officer proved to be corrupt and embezzling the public properties, but nothing has been done and the former head of the Anti-Corruption Tsar Ahmed Mohumed Madar resigned claiming that it is not the right time to combat corruption.
In a highly competitive contest between Waddani Main Opposition Party presidential candidate, Abdurrahman Mohamed Abdilahi (Irro) and the new presidential candidate for the ruling party- Kulmiye, Muse Bihi Abdi, the fight against corruption was one of their issues in their political party platforms.
Mr. Bihi won over 55% of the national votes cast in Somaliland regions in November 2017. All candidates have been hitting the nail on the head that bringing recognition, the fight against Corruption, unemployment, injustice, inequalities, wealth distribution and improving the poor infrastructures and security have been the most important issues that the candidates were focusing on.
According to the latest development, the new president confirmed that he will be fighting for corruption declaring this last week while meeting with lawyers and doctors associations in Hargeisa.
Somaliland citizens expect to see a leader once in their life that combats corruption and maintains law and order. Almost, few days to go to the handover ceremony of the two presidents and I am here to propose for the new president that the Good Governance and Anti-Corruption Commission (GGACC) to be present in all ministerial handover ceremonies to safeguard on the assets and the properties to be transferred.
Finally, the new government is expected to carry out Anti-Corruption policies by giving a political willingness, and energy to the supreme audit institutions due to corruption in Somaliland has been worsened by the absence of a strong political commitment from the last two government administrations of Dahir Riyale Kahin and Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud (Silanyo).
I do believe that Muse Bihi, the new president will empower the Anti-Corruption agencies and start a new campaign against corruption in the country in order to get back the confidence of the people as the combat of corruption is a pillar of Kulmiye manifesto in 2017-2022.
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