Somalia’s Minister of Education, Farah Sheikh Abdulkadir, and Member of Parliament Mohamed Haji Ahmed, currently representing Parliamentary seat HOP 86, are at the center of a major controversy. The two senior government figures stand accused of directly interfering in the selection process for members of Somalia’s National Higher Education Committee.
The list of candidates was initially announced to be part of an open and transparent competition. However, sources claim that Minister Farah and MP Mohamed disrupted the process, allegedly removing Dr. Omar Farooq Sheikh Abdiaziz from contention. Dr. Omar, the former Director General of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Endowments, is a highly regarded academic known for his deep expertise in education and for publishing impactful research and policy papers.
Despite being from the same clan as both the Minister and the MP, Dr. Omar was reportedly sidelined in favor of another candidate who is a close relative of Minister Farah. It is alleged that this favored individual is being groomed for a leadership position within the committee.
Sources further allege that Dr. Omar was excluded out of fear that he might compete for the chairmanship of the committee, a move reportedly orchestrated from the Office of the President in coordination with Minister Farah. According to insider reports, in early May, Minister Farah instructed the selection panel to remove Dr. Omar’s name from the list entirely.
This incident is being viewed by many as a blatant case of interference and corruption, drawing comparisons to previous scandals such as the one that rocked Somalia’s Human Rights Commission.
