Somalia: Hirshabelle state hits back at FGS over missing donor funds

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Somalia's regional state of Hirshabelle has accused the federal government of acting on "self-defense" to distort facts about missing donor funds, which were meant to mitigate floods and drought in several parts of the country

At least $135 million were dispatched to Somalia mainly through World Bank and the Hirshabelle state was set to get $35 million for 2020, but the money is yet to be dispatched, with most proposed beneficiaries shifting their wrath to the federal government.

Finance Minister Abdirahman Beileh and his Planning counterpart Ambassador Gamal Hassan refuted claims that the money is being held, arguing that most of it have been disbursed to relevant agencies and organizations for the tasks it had been allocated.

But in yet another bombshell, Hirshabelle state under President Ali Guldilawe, accused the federal government of "hiding" from facts, adding that at least nine months have elapsed since the state signed an MoU with the FGS over the release of the money.

The latest twist could complicate the relationship between Villa Somalia and Jowhar, which has often defended Mogadishu's lame federal policies, that have often put President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo at loggerheads with certain regional leaders.

On Sunday, a number of Senators led by Abdirahman Farole accused Farmajo of being an existential threat to federalism in the country. Farmajo, they said, prefers the centralism approach they insisted will further divide the people of Somalia.

Last week, Mohamed Abdi Waare, a former Hirshabelle president, accused the government of failing to release $35 million, adding that they were meant to mitigate floods along the Shebelle Valley, which is now the worst affected according to the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs [OCHA].

Although he didn't provide evidence, Waare, a former ally of Villa Somalia, said the money was donated by the governments of Italy, Sweden, the European Union, and the World Bank sometimes back, adding that it's yet to be released.

The money, he added, is held at the ministries of Finance, Planning, and Agriculture. He, however, did not specify when the money was disbursed and why it has taken long to have the money disbursed.

"It unfortunate that more than USD 35 million donated for the floods by Italy in Somalia, Sweden in Somalia EU_in_Somalia and World Bank for the Shabelle Valley alone is blocked at Federal Ministries of Finance, Planning, and Agriculture. Shame," he said in a tweet.

The Garowe Online could not establish the claims at that time but Waare, is one of the leaders who closely worked with Villa Somalia. He left his office early this year and was replaced by Ali Guudlaawe, a close associate of President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo.

This comes amid raging floods in the country At least 25 people have been killed in the past seven days due to heavy rains pounding several parts of Somalia, the United Nations humanitarian agency said in a statement on Sunday.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said among the dead include 14 children and seven internally displaced people.

OCHA said riverine flooding has affected an estimated 25,000 people in 15 villages in Jowhar in the Middle Shabelle region, displacing people in eight villages and inundating farms.

The heavy rains have hit various parts of Somalia over the past week, triggering flash floods that have killed and displaced people, but a forecast suggests the rains will begin to subside from mid-May.

GAROWE ONLINE