The arrest and sentencing of 4 top Health Ministry officials in Somalia on August 24, has sparked an uproar in Kenya.
Somalia's Director-General (DG) at the Health Ministry Abdullahi Hashi Ali and 3 others were sentenced to Jail after they were found guilty of stealing Covid-19 funds.
This comes at a time when a similar scandal has rocked their neighbour (Kenya). A damning investigative feature dubbed Covid-19 Millionaires that aired on NTV sparked protests in various towns across the country.
Following the latest developments in Somalia, hundreds of Kenyans vented their frustrations via social media at the slow pace with which the scandal was being handled in the country.
"A country we all call "a failed state" is taking this great step to protect its citizens, meanwhile here in Kenya the system itself is protecting thieves, Kenya enjoys the peace and stability pillar only. Somalia outshines Kenya as far as the integrity aspect is concerned," Yussuf Haji tweeted.
The graft case in Somalia arose in April 2020, a month after the country reported its first case of Covid-19.
The Ministry of Health soon announced that a number of officials were under investigation for diverting public funds.
Court documents released during the sentencing on Monday, August 24, revealed that at least Ksh4.5 million was spent under unclear circumstances.
Consequently, the health DG was sentenced to serve 9 years in prison and ordered to pay a fine of Ksh236,600.
Their Director of Administration at the Health Ministry Mohamoud Bulle Mohamoud was handed 18 years in prison and a ordered to also pay a fine of Ksh234,600.
The third convict and head of health awareness, Mahdi Abshir Mohamed, was sentenced to 12 years in prison and also directed to pay a fine similar to his co-accused.
Somalia's malaria and HIV/AIDS head at the Ministry, Bashir Abdi Nur, was sentenced to 3 years in prison and ordered to pay a fine of Ksh 118,300.
The judge said the four were not entitled to bail but had a right to appeal the sentences within 30 days.
Closer home, the figures mentioned in the Covid-19 Millionaires feature makes the Somalia case pale in comparison. A total of Ksh43 billion was highlighted to have been embezzled.
Leaders across the political divide have been at each other's throats, with ODM party leader Raila Odinga's recent remarks regarding the Covid-19 scandal resulting in a well-documented backlash from the public.
Kenyans hailed the government of Somalia for proving that despite rampant corruption mooted as Africa's greatest weakness, it was time for leaders to draw a line in the sand.
Interestingly, a 2019 report by Transparency International title 'The Corruption Index, ranked Somalia as the most corrupt nation of the 180 that were polled.
"Yet they are a failed state. We, a healthy state, can't even match the worst out there," a Kenyan tweeted following the latest development.
In Kenya, at least 4 individuals who were part of a larger group of citizens who had taken to the streets of Nakuru in protest over the Covid-19 scandal on Monday, August 24, were arrested.
Similar protests were witnessed in Nairobi and Kisumu, with anti-riot police deployed to the streets where they used tear-gas canisters to disperse the crowd.
According to the Covid-19 Millionaires feature, elected leaders were mentioned as being part of a group of people who used the pandemic to siphon billions via shady deals.
Most of the funds alleged to have been stolen came in form of donations from global organizations such as the Global Fund as well as private firms in the country.
Chinese Billionaire Jack Ma also saw his Covid-19 health kit consignment sent to Kenya as a donation, reportedly disappear at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
