Exclusive: Corruption scandal rocks Somalia’s Energy Ministry — Senior official suspended

[Deeq A.]

MOGADISHU, Somalia — The Office of the Auditor General has suspended Mr. Ismail Bashir, a technical advisor with the Somali Energy Recovery Project. The move is part of a widening investigation into corruption, fraud, and nepotism within Somalia’s World Bank-funded energy projects.

Mr. Bashir’s team isn’t new to corruption scandals, but this scandal has rocked government leadership at the energy portfolio. Investigators discovered that Bashir secured his current position not through a competitive process as required by the World Bank regulations but through nepotism.

Recently, Mr. Bashir also attempted to become the coordinator of the same project, but his application was dismissed by the World Bank, which cited fabricated qualifications. This revelation adds to the reasons for his suspension from the multimillion-dollar energy project.

As confirmed by Caasimadda Online, the investigation has further uncovered troubling business ties between Mr. Bashir and vendors involved in the Somali Electricity Access Project (SEAP) and the Somalia Energy Sector Recovery Project (SESRP). This conflict of interest reportedly gave his firm unfair advantages, raising serious concerns about the integrity of the procurement process.

One of the companies under scrutiny, Recon Energy, is owned by a former project coordinator, Mr. Abdisalam Abdullahi, who now serves as an advisor at the World Bank. Another company, Delta Engineering, which has connections to Mr. Abdisalam Abdullahi, is set to receive a $7 million contract to provide solar energy to the Banadir region, despite the ongoing investigation. Delta Engineering is also slated to win a similar contract for Southwest State in the coming weeks.

Corrupt agreement to award Jubaland solar contract to recon energy sparks Outcry

A decision has reportedly been made to award Recon Energy, owned by Mr. Abdisalam Abdullahi, the Jubbaland solar contract, despite concerns of corruption. The deal, though not yet signed, is alleged to have bypassed the fair and competitive bidding process mandated by the World Bank.

Sources close to the case, who spoke on condition of anonymity, reveal that the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) team rushed to finalize contracts before the investigation could fully intervene, contravening standard World Bank procurement procedures and bypassing the Systematic Tracking of Exchanges in Procurement channels.

Despite clear evidence of fraud and corruption in the procurement process, sources allege that elements within the Prime Minister’s Office and the ministry are conspiring to shut down the investigation. These efforts appear aimed at protecting Mr. Ismail Bashir and the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) from accountability, raising serious concerns about transparency and integrity in the government’s handling of the case.

“Why would the ministry defend individuals charged with corruption and incompetence?” questioned Mohamed Abdi, a local expert in the energy sector. “Because in the current political atmosphere, corruption and conflict of interest have become the norms in public institutions due to zero accountability and lack of transparency.”

Frustration within the ministry civil servants’ rank and file is mounting. Earlier this year, Caasimada Online reported on the misappropriation of development funds in the energy sector, and Mr. Bashir’s suspension serves as the central link between the two cases. Efforts to reach those involved in the case for comments have been met with silence.

As the investigation expands, political pressure against the Auditor General’s decision is intensifying. According to an insider, the Office of the Prime Minister is among the powerful forces working to protect those implicated from facing criminal charges.

“With millions of dollars at stake, the government must act,” said Ali Jama, a development consultant familiar with the probe. “The public’s trust depends on it. They need to follow through on these investigations and ensure that those getting rich off public funds are held accountable.”

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