Fueled by Bribes, Somalia’s Election Seen as Milestone of Corruption

[Calaf]

Fueled by Bribes, Somalia’s Election Seen as Milestone of Corruption (Published 2017)

An estimated $20 million or more has feverishly changed hands during parliamentary elections that will culminate in the selection of the president.

www.nytimes.com

Politicians have been peeling off wads of hundred dollar bills to buy votes. Others have shown up for parliamentary races standing next to a political nobody who was bribed or coerced into running against them, to make the race look fair. In one case, the mysterious candidate was the politician’s maid.

This week, Somalia, which has languished without a functioning central government for more than 25 years and has been propped up by billions of dollars of American aid, is holding an innovative, closely watched presidential election that United Nations officials have billed as a “milestone.”

Somali investigators estimate that at least $20 million has feverishly changed hands during parliamentary elections that will culminate in the selection of the president on Wednesday.

Outside forces like Turkey, Sudan, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar are widely believed to have been buying off presidential candidates to land juicy business deals, spread a harsh version of Islam or spy on American forces.

The entire process has been so bad, several analysts said, that the Shabab militant group, one of the deadliest Islamist organizations in the world, isn’t even trying to derail the vote because the corruption free-for-all almost makes the militants look upstanding by comparison.

Cajib, Utter BS yet sounds true. Wow

 

[Calaf]

I know it has been 3 years ago, but this article is really fascinating from the perspective of the White Man.

Is Somalia really that Corrupt?
Or is it a conspiracy against Somalia?

 

[abdullah233]

I know it has been 3 years ago, but this article is really fascinating from the perspective of the White Man.

Is Somalia really that Corrupt?
Or is it a conspiracy against Somalia?

Somalia is corrupt you just have to pay the MPs a hefty sum and come from a noble tribe.

 

[Calaf]

Somalia is corrupt you just have to pay the MPs a hefty sum and come from a noble tribe.

But to this extent. I of course know its corrupt, but this bad that the average white man can tell you a maid can be a MP. Damn

 

[Mozart]

I know it has been 3 years ago, but this article is really fascinating from the perspective of the White Man.

Is Somalia really that Corrupt?
Or is it a conspiracy against Somalia?

I believe it’s true. A guy whose name I can’t remember and was present for that election , had a presentation in London and he said candidates were paying around 40,000 per head.

 

[abdullah233]

But to this extent. I of course know its corrupt, but this bad that the average white man can tell you a maid can be a MP. Damn

It’s so sad how this country fell from grace wallah. It’s even more sad that it might not rise up because of qabilism