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 Ethiopia: Get rid of corruption and corrupt leaders in the Somali region now. By A. shakur Gedi
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 Corruption is retarding any meaningful progress in the Somali regional State. The question is, Is the federal government a participant? What is the federal government's role curtailing corruption? what has it done to fight corruption and bring to justice those stealing our public funds so far? The anwers is very little if any.
The Ethiopian federal government has turned a blind eye to the embezzlement of millions of birr that could have been used for building schools, hospitals and infrastructure. While millions of the State�s budget are being used for building luxury, lavish houses and buying luxury expensive SUVs and vehicles, thousands of our school age children, are growing up without school, thousands of our elderly, mothers and infants are dying of simple preventable diseases. Our roads are practically valleys of rivers that are not usable. Our hospitals are few, without trained healthcare workers and without medicine. Our ministries are staffed by people who were hired not because of their skills, or training, but, because of their clan and god-fathering.
Where is the accountability from the federal government? Where is the accountability from the people? Where is the accountability from these leaders? How can we explain that only 35% of school age children in our region go to school or have access to mediocre schools? How do we accept that 50% of the region�s budget is embezzled while fewer than 20% of the region�s populations have access to mediocre health facilities?
Federal officials admit and agree that the Somali regional State is crippled by corruption but they are not willing to put or introduce accountability measures in the region because the corruption reaches the federal level. Something has to be done urgently. Corruption is damaging the moral fabric of our region, our society. It�s diverting much-needed resources from the most needy into the pockets and bank accounts of greedy and unscrupulous officials, and above all it stunts development. There is probably not a single solution to this vice, but, every official, every leader in the region must declare their wealth before they are given any position. Officials in all levels of the government must declare their income and wealth annually.Federal government must fight corruption the same way it fights anti-peace elements. It must establish and install a system where every birr is accounted for in the region. The ultimate responsibility lies with the federal government because the budget comes from it.
I am strongly in favor of corrupt government officials being hunted down and prosecuted for any corrupt practices, and the consequence for such heinous acts should be 20-30 years mandatory jail term or they should never see the light again. This will set an example to any greedy official who might be tempted to embezzle public funds. Corruption in the Somali region has been a cancer and continues to be a cancer that is spreading to the fabric of our society. It is time that our leaders show commitment to eradicating corruption from our society. It is about time to make an example of those who steal from their own people. A lot of these corrupters think that because they have political powers they have the right to steal from us as they like. We call on the federal government to weed corrupt public officials from the Somali region. Corruption is anti-development, corruption is anti-progress. No society with rampant corrupt system and with corrupt leaders, will reach any meaningful progress.
We are tired of seeing our people suffer because of corruption. We are tired of seeing our young kids without schools while their counterparts in other parts of Ethiopia go to schools. We are tired of our mothers and elders die of diseases that could have been prevented because there was no medicine or hospital nearby. Corrupt leaders should have no place in public service as they have betrayed the trust placed on them. The Somali regional State will not move forward as long as the current corrupt system and corrupt leaders are tolerated. Unless drastic and dramatic measures are taken and introduced to rid the region of corruption, then nepotism and clanism will be enhanced further and public funds will continue to end up in the pockets of individuals and the region�s population will continue in their current misery state.
The people of the region have to take responsibility by holding their leaders accountable. We have to expose leaders who had nothing yesterday but have got themselves big houses and luxury vehicles today. The money is ours not theirs. We have to stand up for what is right, for our rights, for our kids, for our future. Corruption tears down society, corruption is a drag to our region�s progress, corruption is our enemy like no other. We have to fight it with everything at our disposal or we all perish in poverty and disease.
Corrupt leaders who steal from us have no moral ground, hence should have no moral authority to govern our region. Here is what Islam says about corruption and corrupt leaders.
The Prophet PBUH said:
"Allah does not punish the individuals for the sins of the community until they see the evil spreading among themselves, and while they have the power to stop it, do not do so." (Ahmad)
Shaykhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah said:
"This is why those who are in authority are of two groups: the scholars and the rulers. If they are upright, the people will be upright; if they are corrupt, the people will be corrupt."
The Noble Qur'an - Hud 11:85
"And O my people! Give full measure and weight in justice and reduce not the things that are due to the people, and do not commit mischief in the land, causing corruption.
The Noble Qur'an - Hud 11:113
And incline not toward those who do wrong, lest the Fire should touch you, and you have no protectors other than All�h, nor you would then be helped
Sahih Muslim - Volume 9, Book 89, Number 264, Narrated Ma'qil
I heard the Prophet (saaws) saying, "Any man whom Allah has given the authority of ruling some people and he does not look after them in an honest manner, will never feel even the smell of Paradise."
Source: A.Shakur Gedi
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