Corruption’s sprint: The saga of Somalia’s dubious Athlete and its root cause

In a stunning revelation that encapsulates the depths of corruption and nepotism plaguing Somalia, the nation’s sports ministry is facing a public outcry after fielding a novice 100m sprinter, Nasra Abubakar Ali, in the World University Games in China this week…

But how was she selected for the competition? 

Nasra is, in fact, the niece of Khadijo Aden Dahir, the head of Somali Athletic Federation who picked Nasra for the competition in China, This has sparked public outrage and the sports ministry suspended Khadijo and pledged to investigate how such a glaring incident occurred.

Observers and citizens alike are drawing chilling parallels between the nepotism entrenched in the country’s sports sector and the blatant corruption that has infiltrated the highest levels of government.

Many view Khadijo’s actions as emblematic of a larger trend where influential figures, including President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and his immediate family, exploit their positions for personal gain, President Mohamud has himself come under intense scrutiny for allegedly using his authority to secure lucrative government positions and contracts for his family members, including his daughter Jihan Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and his son’s wife Hawo Hassan.

The president’s Brothers, Hussein Sheikh Mohamud and Ali Sheikh Mohamud, also reportedly benefiting from military fuel supply and car plate registration contracts, And it does not stop there: the president’s two wives have found their places, with Qamar Ali positioned as a shareholder in the AirArabia airline, a conduit between Mogadishu and Dubai, while the other co-wife’s fortunes soar through the acquisition of the military food supply contract, reaping millions from the government’s coffers courtesy of the international budget support offered by the World Bank.

Meanwhile, Sahro Omar, the second co-wife, navigates the skies of intrigue as the proprietor of shares in FlyDubai, an UAE-based airline that has recently inaugurated direct flights between Mogadishu and Dubai.