Out of the 275 members of the 2016 Somali Federal Parliament, only 27 MPs had declared criminal cases against them. For the 2022 federal parliament, the number of MP with criminal records is around 100 MP. It is a fourfold increase compared to the 2016 number.
The criminal cases against the newly elected MPs include cases related to committing culpable homicide, house trespass, robbery, criminal intimidation, Terrorism, bank embezzlement, and membership of evildoers or gangs.
As per the self-sworn affidavits submitted by the candidates at the time of filing nominations for the new Somali Federal Parliament, most of the criminal candidates got help from Farmajo and his partners in crime Fahad YASIN, and from the leader of Southwest Lafta Gareen, leader of Hirshabeele Ali Guudlaawe, leader of Galmudug QOOR QOOR, leader of Puntland Said Deni, leader of Jubaland Ahmed Madobe.
There is an alarming figure when it comes to serious criminal cases. Around half of the winners with criminal records are accused of serious criminal cases related to rape, murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, violence against women, etc.
Among the new members of Federal Parliament, there are 3 MPs accused of being responsible for the assassination of female intelligence officer Ikram Tahlil, a case president Farmajo adamantly objected to being independently investigated, and 20 others with declared cases of attempt to murder
By some good assessment of informed politicians, politicians with a criminal record are more likely to be elected than those with a clean slate – because, they have more illicit funds with which to buy votes.
Arguably, of course, Farmaajo Government is helping tainted military, NISA, and Police officers or national politicians – among them many murderers, rapists, and fraudsters – which could create chaos in the next parliament and make it even harder to get laws passed. The criminals turned into parliamentarians will destabilize the political system of Somalia.
United States Government and International community should consider sanctioning, freezing assets, and blacklisting the well-documented criminals who became members of the federal parliament to protect the viability and effectiveness of the Somali state and to eradicate terrorism in the Horn of Africa.
Abdiaziz Amalo
