Monday August 20, 2018
Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire. FILE PHOTORecent arrests of high-level public officials in Somalia over graft amid tough anti-corruption talk by the country’s Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khayre have left many observers wondering how far the purge would go and whether the momentum would continue. The latest graft-related arrests occurred on Saturday when the head of Mogadishu Port Tax Authority Ahmed Ali Samow and 9 other top officials were nabbed for allegedly diverting taxes collected from the busy sea port.The port arrests have attracted considerable public attention since the sea port is the highest revenue earner for the Federal government of Somalia and is believed to be a hotbed of graft with tax funds ending in private pockets. On Saturday also, top diplomats of Somalia’s embassy in Khartoum were recalled home amid allegations of graft and mismanagement. A circular from the Foreign Ministry ordered the diplomats back to Mogadishu for “consultations” following a directive from the PM.