SPECIAL REPORT: 42 bullet proof cars missing from Somalia government offices

MOGADISHU, Somalia, April 21, 2015 (Garowe Online)-As Somalia struggles to stave off the international partners' concerns over the pervasive corruption and the slow pace for the vision 2016 goal, credible sources said that 42 bullet-proof cars have gone missing from Somalia Federal Government's offices, Garowe Online has  learned.

The development is a major concern for the security agencies who expressed worries over the likelihood that the missing cars could fall into the militants waging a deadly insurgency against the government and the African Union forces in Somalia.

Multiple independent sources who declined to be identified confirmed to GO that most of the missing bullet-proof cars were donated by United Arab Emirates in support of the safety of Somali officials.

At least 200 Ministers and sizeable number of deputy ministers have held various posts with three Prime Ministers including the incumbent Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke since the end of transitional period, with overwhelming majority handed bullet-proof vehicles back to the government at after losing positions.

However, information obtained by GO reveal that government officials who don't hail from southern Somalia handed over their bullet-proof under oath.

"President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's henchmen, and those who belong to the clan that the president hails from continue to drive bullet proof vehicles along Mogadishu roads," a source said on condition of

anonymity.

The number could be far higher than the 42 vehicles, according to sources within Mogadishu-based Federal Government who passed along documents to GO.

Only one bullet proof vehicle for the prime minister was destroyed in central hotel bombing on February 20, 2015.

 "The planning ministry's bullet-proof car replaced the one awarded with the Deputy Prime Minister Mohamed Omar Arte," One official who asked to remain anonymous told GO.

Fear of attacks by Al Shabaab gunmen is said to have gripped the current cabinet members preferred staying inside their hotels rather than travelling across the extremely volatile Mogadishu.

Somalia's international partners spearheaded by the UN expressed dismay at 'rampant' corruption by government officials, saying it could deal blow to the efforts of pushing ahead with the agreed timetable towards election by 2016.

GAROWE ONLINE