MOGADISHU (Kaab TV) – The Governor of Banadir Region and Mayor of Mogadishu, Hassan Mohamed Hussein Mungaab, has revealed that while the Banadir Regional Administration pays salaries to 3,000 employees, fewer than 600 are actually working.
Mungaab described the situation as “massive corruption” crippling the administration.
“Three thousand employees are on the Banadir Regional Administration payroll, but if you check today, fewer than 600 can be found working at the municipal headquarters,” Mungaab said during a meeting with Banadir staff on Saturday, August 9, 2025.
He added that his administration has been informed that some international aid previously received will soon be cut.
Mungaab stressed his desire for all employees to report to work, but acknowledged a major obstacle: many of those listed as municipal staff are not actually employed by the city.
Sources in the Banadir Administration’s Department of Labor told Kaab TV that ministers and senior government officials have added their children and spouses to the payroll despite them doing no work.
More than 1,600 individuals are reportedly living abroad yet still receive salaries from the Banadir Administration.
Kaab TV has learned that the list includes social media influencers of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, as well as relatives of the intelligence chief Mahad Salaad and Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, none of whom reside in Somalia or perform any civil service duties.
This widespread payroll fraud is placing a heavy financial burden on the federal budget and could impact donor confidence.
International donors currently fund over 70% of Somalia’s federal budget, most of which goes to public sector salaries.
Donor Funding at Risk
Mungaab also warned that some international aid to the federal government will be cut by the end of this year.
“You know there is concern that in the coming years – or even by the end of this year – as I discussed with the Minister of Health, we cannot be certain donors will continue their support for the health sector. Therefore, it is important we take precautions now and take control of our own activities,” he said.
Somalia remains one of the most challenging countries in the world for prosecuting corruption, especially when it involves government officials, their relatives, or close associates.
According to Transparency International, Somalia ranks as the most corrupt country in the world.