Child Protection Funds Diverted by Prime Minister’s Office

Mogadishu, (IDNE, News Desk) — The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) is facing serious allegations of corruption involving the misuse of $400,000 intended for child protection. The funds, reportedly from Save the Children, were diverted by bypassing the Ministry of Women and Human Rights.

Sources, who wish to remain anonymous, identify Mr. Ahmednur M. Abdi (Uleex) as the key figure in this scandal. Abdi, who has close family ties to Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, is accused of misappropriating the funds by establishing a unit within the OPM.

This is not the first instance of financial misconduct linked to the Prime Minister’s Office. In previous incidents, over $5 million from the Italian Government, intended for stabilization projects, were used for political purposes, sidelining the Ministry of Interior, Reconciliation & Federal Affairs.

Additionally, the Prime Minister’s Office has made a secret agreement to accept Somali citizens deported by EU countries and the United States. A $10 million fund was provided as an advance payment by Scandinavian states to build a rehabilitation center in Kismayo, benefiting the Prime Minister’s political networks. This deal impacts the human rights of political asylees, some of whom are still awaiting court hearings or dealing with mental health issues.

The previous administration, under President Farmaajo, rejected similar deals from EU states due to concerns over legal implications and human rights violations. Sources confirm that most decisions taken by Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre are often characterized by secrecy and the marginalization of designated federal institutions. One analyst noted, “The pattern of these decisions is twofold: secrecy and marginalization of designated federal institutions.”

– Source: Mohamed Abdi, Freelance Reporter