By Asha Elmi - Reporter
MOGADISHU, Somalia, September 14, 2026 Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Sunday urged the government to assess officials and employees based on their skills and performance, saying political or personal connections should not determine appointments to public office.
Mohamud made the remarks at the closing presentation of the government ministries’ annual accountability review, which assessed their performance and progress against plans and targets set for 2026.
He said the performance assessment showed tangible improvement compared with the previous year and urged ministers to maintain the progress and take responsibility for the results of their work.
The president also called for a system to assess the performance of individual employees within government ministries, with capable workers recognised for their performance and those falling below required standards subject to further review.
“We want individuals to enter jobs based first and foremost on their ability,” Mohamud said, adding that government appointments should not be based on political, family or group connections.
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He said the government needed to move away from practices he described as favouritism, citing cases in which individuals seek positions through their connections to ministers, lawmakers or senior government officials.
“In the national-interest government led by Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, we want everyone to advance on the basis of their ability and knowledge,” Mohamud said.
The performance assessment ranked the Ministry of Finance first, followed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Ministry of Planning, Investment and Economic Development, the Ministry of Public Works, Reconstruction and Housing, and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Higher Education.
Mohamud urged government institutions to continue improving performance and accountability, saying the progress made was a positive step but that further efforts were needed to strengthen government performance.