MOGADISHU (KAAB TV) – Somalia’s problems run far deeper than fragile institutions or the absence of state capacity. At the heart of the crisis lies a fundamental issue: the state itself is not designed as a public service accountable to its people.
Instead, it functions as a corrupt enterprise operated by elite interests, largely shaped and maintained by the country’s clan-based political structure.
To build a functioning and democratic state, Somalia must undergo a foundational transformation—moving away from a system of governance rooted in clan favoritism and toward one that is accountable to its citizens through fair, transparent elections and merit-based institutions.
However, the current trajectory suggests the opposite. Both the federal government and its member states have become engines of systemic corruption, often bordering on criminal enterprise.
The administration of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, currently serving his second term, is widely viewed by critics and citizens alike as among the most corrupt in the nation’s modern history. His government’s actions exemplify the broader decay of the Somali state and highlight the dangers of unchecked power.
Somalia’s federal framework, based on the controversial “4.5 formula” which divides political power among four major clans and one group representing minority communities, has institutionalized division, exclusion, and elite capture.
Instead of promoting national unity or equitable governance, it reinforces a system where political access and public resources are distributed along clan lines.
This constitutional structure enables a class of so-called “clan elites” to monopolize political power. These elites often use their influence to loot state resources, auction off national assets to foreign interests, and marginalize opposition groups.
In doing so, they operate as intermediaries between foreign investors and a public that is completely disenfranchised from decision-making processes.
Corruption, in this context, is not a side effect—it is the system itself.
Somalia consistently ranks among the most corrupt countries in the world, according to annual assessments by Transparency International and other global watchdogs. Despite these reports, Somali politicians routinely dismiss or ignore the findings, treating them as irrelevant or politically motivated.
On the ground, the law exists only on paper. Enforcement is selective, often wielded against political opponents or the vulnerable, while those in power enjoy near-total impunity. The culture of unaccountability is deeply entrenched and protected by informal clan networks that prioritize loyalty over legality.
This impunity is further exacerbated by the weakness of Somalia’s judicial institutions, the politicization of security forces, and the absence of independent oversight bodies.
In Somalia today, politics has become a business venture rather than a public service. High office is seen not as a responsibility to the nation, but as a pathway to personal enrichment.
Public institutions are treated as private enterprises, and their resources—ranging from land and ports to mineral rights—are sold or leased to the highest bidder, often without public scrutiny or legal authorization.
This dangerous trend is especially visible in Mogadishu, where land grabbing, forced evictions, and the demolition of homes belonging to vulnerable citizens have become alarmingly common.
Under the administration of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, there have been numerous allegations of public land being sold off to private investors, displacing countless families and eroding trust in the government.
This is not mere mismanagement—it is organized theft at the highest levels of power.
As these abuses continue, a grassroots resistance is beginning to emerge. Citizens across Somalia are increasingly frustrated with a government that neither represents their interests nor protects their rights.
The popular anger is particularly strong in Mogadishu, where the dispossession of ordinary people has triggered protests and social unrest.
These uprisings are not simply reactions to specific policies; they are a direct response to the broader system of corruption, impunity, and exclusion that defines Somali politics.
They represent a demand for change—a call for a new kind of state, one built on justice, transparency, and service to all its citizens.
The critical question now is: Who truly defends the sovereignty of Somalia and the dignity of its people?
If sovereignty is defined by the ability of a nation to govern itself independently and justly, then Somalia’s current leadership has failed that test. True sovereignty cannot coexist with systemic corruption, foreign exploitation, and the marginalization of the citizenry.
What Somalia needs is not another reshuffling of political elites or another international conference. It needs a radical rethinking of what the Somali state should be—and who it should serve.
Only through genuine accountability, civic engagement, and constitutional reform can Somalia escape the cycle of corruption and move toward lasting peace and prosperity.