The Gray List:

[Ilka-dahable]

The United States recent change of heart has given much needed political

boost to the already high spirited Somali confidence jubilant from the end of

12 yearlong political transition and uncertainty. Secretary Clinton said:

Somalia’s political process marks beginning of a new era.

United States’ recognition will lead many closed doors reopen for Somalia;

provided we handle the new responsibility with civility. Today, I dwell not so

much of what this recognition will bring to Somalia. Sure, many writers are

penning the new relations to a digestible take; I, therefore, detour to a

subject many wish not to touch.

Corruption: Corruption is worse than prostitution. The latter might

endanger the morals of an individual; the former invariably

endangers the morals of the entire country: Karl Kraus

I returned home after 22 years of absence which I am confident many of you

share. I was hired by a Belgium based agency as a staff researcher (one

year contract) to asses and analyze the impact of security operations on

civilians. I was tasked to collect data from Victims, Hospitals, AMISOM,

Somali Police, Military, NSA, and other agencies dealing with security

operations including foreign agents. Every meeting I attended the issue of

corruption came up be it Humanitarian, Security and, even, Peacemaking

discussions. Like many of you, I grew angrier towards Internationals who

every time a little progress is made will throw corruption mud on our face. I

then decided to embark my own journey to find if there is a truth to this

national tantrum and find out who is doing what!

Let me say this, I did not investigate whole of Mogadishu, of course not.

Rather I followed the so called the Gray List; referring to a description used

by Mogadishu based internationals on the individuals accused on corruption

and others whose name is negatively reminiscent with everyday Mogadishu

talk. The goal was to find out if these people are active pillagers of our

system, commonly owned resources and people. If yes, what can be done? I

got a list of 43 entities and names to search. 11 of them grossly stood out.

They include Anti-regime Tax evaders, corrupt officials, Humanitarian food

aid diverters, diplomats preying on refugees, Charcoal traders and Political

manipulators.

[Ilka-dahable]

I am in the believe, unless we Somalis call spade a spade; these unkind

unscrupulous individuals will stole our future, if any left. The Gray List

Include:

1. Khadija Ali Osoble (dual national Somali/American): One needs

to Google her name to see the damage caused by this woman and her

husband to the name Somalia. They operate several companies in

Mogadishu including SAACID, DEEQA and SAADEEQ. SAACID is the

most notorious company famous for its humanitarian food aid

diversion. Mogadishu’s 16 district commissioners are under the payroll

of this company. They collaborate what they called Wet Kitchen

rations. A highly sophisticated scheme meant to divert food aid from

the weak (IDPs, Women and Children). Further, Ms. Osoble, her

husband and her brother provide food and fuel supplies to AMISOM.

They allegedly paid millions of dollars in kickbacks to secure contracts

from AMISOM Military Generals with the help of former President

Sheikh Sharif. According to AU records AMISOM logistic and Supply

offices failed to advertise the tender and did not follow AU’s standard

operating procedures. Ms. Osoble is currently under investigation from

FBI and UNMG on Food diversion related activities. In the most recent

elections; Ms Osoble spent $800K to her ex-pal’s failed candidacy Dr.

Ali Khalif and, $1.2 million on her brother’s Presidential bid. Rich

woman but from what source? Ms. Osoble lives very lavish style in her

million dollar home in Nairobi. SHAME!

2. Gen Abdullahi Gaafow Mohamud: Gen Gaafow’s futility is beyond

mention. He is currently under UNMG investigation on corruption and

money laundering charges. Gaafow, The Director of Immigration

Somalia, served this post more than 35 years. His office reaches

beyond the borders of any Somali Government. Why, because he is

got passport printing machines everywhere! He issue passports,

receives proceeds from passports, enters contracts, signs and issues

cheques and, yes, pays commission to all the machine holders

including current Minister of Information Mr. Ciilmooge, a former

passport-making business owner. Gen Gaafow also has an income

splitting agreement with the two embassies (Nairobi and Dubai) which

generate most revenue. Somali Ministry of finance has no access to

these illegal agreements. He is own accountant. It is time to retire

Gen. Gaafow. SHAME

[Ilka-dahable]

3. Mohamed Deylaaf (Somali and Djibouti National): A businessman

who made millions from WFP contracts. He was one of the three

Somali businessmen who won 80 percent of WFP’s $200 million in

transport contracts described as a “12 year-old de-facto cartel”: WFP

investigation report. Mr.Deylaaf recently made a claim to the old

Somali National Fuel Depot inside the port. This location due to its

proximity to the warehouses and the loading deck was sealed and

suspended its use then by the Siyad Barre regime under the advice of

international experts. Mr. Deylaaf out of greed allegedly corrupted

Farmajo Government securing contract to use the already rezoned

former fuel depot location. He refused to listen to expertise warning

against the danger of reopening closed pipes and location. He too get

a support from AMISOM corrupted engineers collaborating his claim

saying it is save to operate this dried fuel depot. SHAME!

4. Mohamud Omar Addani (Somali and Djibouti National): The

name Addani never ceased to amuse. Mr Mohamud is a businessman

who shares same UNMG listing with Deylaaf, Khadijo, Amb Americo,

Amb Shiikhey and Gaafow. Mr. Addani is a El-maanport (Ceel-macaan)

cartel who prospered exporting Charcoal and She-goats. His charcoal

export causes the recent debacle between President Hassan and

Jubbaland Authorities on Kismanyo Charcoal fiasco. The charcoal

belonged to him. It is alleged that President Hassan changed his no

Charcoal export stance; after Mohamud Addani convinced that it was

his loot. SHAME!

5. Mohamud Abdi Ali, aka Gabeyre (Somali and Djibouti National):

Gabeyre, the Chairman or as he likes to be called, the President of

Somali Chamber of Commerce is another dilemma. He is a

businessman who made fortune in Fuel Import and Export. He runs

business from a looted Government owned large warehouse which

belonged to the Ministry of Commerce and ADC. He pays no rent. Prior

to assuming chamber position, Mr. Gabeyre was the Chair of Banadir

Business Association. Notorious lobby group against taxes and import

tariff payments. This man made life difficult for every Prime Minister

and Minister of Finance by organizing anti-tax payment groups and

businesses. He is what they called USC facaatuug. To this day and

[Ilka-dahable]

because of his hawkish anti-tax stance the largest port in Somalia –

Mogadishu Port; which has more traffic than Berbera and Bosaaso

ports; the central government earn much less by comparison. During

Siyad Barre regime revenue collected from Mogadishu port serviced

80% of government’s expenditure and services. Today, business

people in Mogadishu are getting far richer than their counterparts

inside Somalia and the region. To his dark cleverness, he organized

first business group meeting between the President and the Mogadishu

based Business Community. They paid wobbly $1.2 million dollar

welcome gift to the new President. It is an old Somali adage: Af wax

cunaaxishood. Mr. Gabeyre’s anti-tax stand is hurting the Somali

Government’s ability to pay its bills. SHAME

6. Amb Mohamed Ali Americo (Somali and Canadian National): A

senior diplomat based in Nairobi told me: Somalia will not get the

respect nor the recognition and the cooperation of Nairobi based

international community as long as Amb Mohamed’s actions are

tolerated by successive Somali governments. Amb Americo is alleged

looting and diverting consignments of Food Aid donated to hungry

Somali people and selling daylight in Mombasa and other Kenyan

Markets. Secondly, charging exorbitant fees (thousands of Kenyan

Shillings)for the one paper document issued to the homebound

refugees. According to his own staff this mission generate between

$50-$75 thousand dollars per month. This revenue is unaccounted

and doesn’t reach Central Government treasure. This does not mean

successive governments did not try to address this decade old shame

but they failed. Amb Mohamed handsomely bribed Senior Kenyan

Foreign Ministry to ignore any note verbale calling his return home. To

boost his teetering image, Amb Mohamed, every now and then, calls

for a knee jerk press conferences or buys dinner for the Eastligh’s

(Islii) poor and hungry community to get their ululation on camera.

SHAME!

7. Abdulkadir Mohamed Eenow: (Somali and American National) -

Please see Khadija (Item 1)……SHAME!

8. Amb Abdulkadir Shiikhey (Somali and UK National): Somalia use

to be the second largest trading partner with United Arab Emirates

[Ilka-dahable]

(UAE). Dubai is home to the headquarters of Somalia’s mainstay

businesses like Hawala, Airline Companies, Telecom, Export and

Import. Many Diaspora communities made home Dubai too. Just to be

close to Somalia. Thus, making UAE a vital country to our success

side. Sadly, our diplomatic representative is being investigated under

UNMG investigation for corruption related charges. He is involved in

the passport-making scandal, SKA Aden Adde Airport contract scandal,

Saracen Mogadishu operations including contract for a new hospital

paid by UAE and so on. Amb Shiikhey was also involved in the deal

making of a large multiple consignments of cash monies sent to

Somalia.

To redeem Somalia’s tarnished name in the UAE. It is a high time to

account Amb Shiikhey. And by the way, he deploys same tactics as

that of his counterpart Amb Americo by dishonestly befriending host

nations foreign ministry. SHAME!

9. Hagi Muse Dhiblawe(Somali, South African and Canadian

National): Hagi Muse is a close relative and confident of President

Hassan; so he claims. Last week, I met Hagi Muse in a restaurant at

Lido beach enquiring him about allegations made by Gen. Indhacadde

and others. Hagi Muse was alleged using a fake documents, to steal

government owned land; claiming that his South Africa based

Construction Company will build school and centre for the Youth. He

brought with him a Turkish man claiming to be his business partner.

The contract is worth $8 million dollars. Gen Indhacadde named in his

allegation against Hagi Muse, the leadership of Nile Organization’s a

Turkish NGO, Mr. Bilal and Mr. Murat to be involved in the scheme.

Hagi Muse also without proper tender and due process expropriated all

the Petrol Stations in Mogadishu. These stations belong to the Somali

Petrol Agency (Wakaaladda Betroolka Soomaaliyeed). Today, all the

GAS stations are posted Hagi’s sign “TURK SOMA’’. These illegal

acquisitions of nation’s properties must be stopped. In my search I

also found out that Mr. Hagi Muse was arrested and deported from

Gabon for a corruption related charges. It is a time to stop Hagi

Muse’s naked ambition on government’s land and properties. SHAME!

Two more political pundits are ill-fitted to the little progress made

thus far.

[Ilka-dahable]

10. Asha Hagi Elmi (Somali and Kenyan National): Mrs Elmi, is

the wife of the Prime Minister Mr. Saacid. Asha is very ambitious and

a ruthless organizer. Staff in the Prime Ministry called her the IRON

lady. Asha also is a close confident of Khadija Osoble. She is alleged to

be steer-wheeling both the Prime Ministry and the Presidency from

her one room office/residency, and to extend her influence on policy

formation and strategic decision-making role. Asha recruited Kamal

Gutale, President’s unsuspecting young Chief of Staff to inform and

update Auntie Asha all activities before any major policy item is

advanced. Knowing her husband’s weakness on the job performance.

She regularly meets foreign Ambassadors, Cabinet Ministers and

International NGOs at her home. Asha’s unwarranted interventionism

has alienated knowledgeable policy advisors, Prime Minister’s political

Aides and others who voluntarily joined to support the Prime Ministry.

It is clear Asha’s twists are bottlenecking government offices and

agencies.

11. Farah Sheikh Abdulkadir (Somali and Kenyan National):

Former President of Africa Muslim Agency. The Africa Muslim Agency

raised Millions of Dollars to help and support the poor in Somalia. The

big question is: were all the funds used for its purpose? Mr. Farah is

alleged shifting aid money to the political campaign. He was also the

master mind behind Qatar Charity money used for the campaign. It is

alleged to be $5 million dollars. Continually, Mr. Farah boasts

excessive pride and achievements by being everything to the President

and Somalia. He claims handling very sensitive files such a

Turkish/Somalia file, IGAD file, Jubba regions file, Arab and Somalia

relations file and so on. Very clannish man who holds animosity on

certain clans including President’s own. Accusing them not

participating of what he called the long Struggle for the liberation of

Mogadishu against the Ethiopian invasion. Mr. Farah acts as if he is the

Prime Minister of the country. He is involved every ministry’s

operations and activities. Specially, Interior, Foreign and Finance

Ministries. It is shame that a junior minister without the required

prerequisite involve himself every level of the government decisionmaking processes. When I see President’s hands off approach on

Farah’s manipulation and corruption; it crystallizes my opinion

[Ilka-dahable]

of President Hassan as an accidental President, said by former

deputy Speaker of Parliament. SHAME!

Some of these individual’s corrupt practices pose significant challenge to

rebuilding a functioning Somali state and institutions. They mastered how to

bribe nascent authorities by providing corruption monies to get their

businesses advanced. Corruption impedes our government’s image; trust in

its institutions and prevent developing direct bilateral relations for our most

needed future developments. Successive United Nations reports named

majority of these individuals actions and tight grip on Somali economy and

people.

The newly elected President has a political and moral responsibility to deal

this recurring national fiasco caused by a few. President Hassan’s election

came with a heavy responsibility both in perception and practical. How this

responsibility is managed will be paramount to the President’s success.

Concerted effort is required, on the part of the President to tighten the

loopholes and demand accountability from WFP programme managers to

customs officials dealing with these businesses on a daily basis. Also, by not

distancing himself individuals in the Gray List known for their shoddy

rundown characters may jeopardize Somali people’s acceptance of any

policies formulated or decisions made under the influence of this highly

partisan harmful environment. Their bad influence on the President is

attributed to President’s recent tumultuous uproarious comments on a major

policy items and the choices made on officio selection processes. Somali

people are tired of nepotism, favouritism and selfish partisan politics.

John Adams, US President: Surround yourself with people who are willing

to be brutally honest with you. You will not grow as a leader if your peers

and subordinates simply tell you what they think you want to hear.

Winston Churchill: A sure sign of a weak leader is one who surrounds

himself with "yes" men. Once you find those willing to tell you the truth,

learn how to listen. "Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak;

courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen."

Selectively, and the President’s own making the name calling had begun.

When asked people the crust of their disappointment most laid blame on the

type of treatment received (protocol) from the kind of people, the President

chose to surround himself

[Ilka-dahable]

Mr. President, today’s average Somali eye lens is High Definition (HD);

which can easily detect partisan politics from any distance short or long. The

glare has ended with the transition. Somalia’s High Definition eagle eyes

demand anew vision.

Dr. Mohamed Osman

Somalia Watch

London, UK

Offices: Dubai, Mogadishu, Nairobi

somwatch@googlemail.com

Citations:

S/2012/545 Eritrea report of the Monitoring Group on Somalia and

Eritrea ...

S/2012/544 Somalia report of the Monitoring Group on Somalia and

Eritrea

Sep 28, 2012 – 6 WFP Annual Performance Reports 2006–2011. Rome. 7

United Nations Monitoring Group (UNMG) on Somalia. 2010. Report of the

United

http://cpi.transparency.org/cpi2012/

Mogadishu: Has It Restored Its Image as the Nation’s Capital? -Buri M.

Hamza

The Selection of a Prime Minister: A “Window” to the New President? -

Mohamed Keynan

Recognition:

Officials from Mogadishu Port

Staff members – Office of the President and Office of the Prime Minister

District Commissioner/s – Mogadishu

Staff from Community Dialogue Centre (CCD) – Mogadishu

Immigration and Naturalization office – Mogadishu

Nairobi Embassy Staff

UAE Embassy Staff

Former SAACID employees

Members of Somali Parliament

P.S: A full report on the Gray List will be released in this summer.

[Somaal]

This is what has caused Somalia to be in coma for the last 22 years.When will we have leaders akin to the Somali Youth League?

When will our people stand up to these blood suckers who are sucking the blood out of a dying nation?

Corruption is the drug that paralyses a nation in the same way that cocaine affects the human body. At this rate this addiction will spread to the rest of our population. Thank you to the author for highlighting the problem