Waagacusub Media learnt through investigation that Al-Shabaab get the most taxes from Hormuud Telecom,Somtel, Golis Telecom Puntland, Telesom Somaliland ,Dahabshiil Money transfer, Salaam Somali Bank,  Taaj Express, Iftin Express , Al-Buruuj Construction, Becco Power and general business companies that use Mogadishu port.

Mid-level manager of Hormuud telecom revealed that the amount Al-Shabaab gets every month as tax from Hormuud Telecom and its subsidiaries is enough to cover the salary of Mogadishu security forces and reconstruction of the roads.  He added that companies made Zakawat payment (Islamic way to pay asset taxes) once in every year.
"Al-Shabaab gets $200,000 from Hormuud Telecom every month, but Salaam Bank, Taaj Express, Becco Power and Al Buruuj pay nearly a million Dollars to Al Shabaab” said former head of Amniyat, one of the most top officials of Somali government intelligence agency in charge of Al Shabab movements, Zakaria Ismail Hersi.
When we asked him the amount Dahabshiil pays Al Shabab as a forced tax, Zakaria says "I don’t have much information about them, but when I was with them they used to pay around half a million Dollars per year”.
Former deputy Emir of AL Shabab Mukhtar Robow Ali who spoke to a Waagacusub reporter at the house he has been arrested says Al Shabab pays them $200,000 every month, which means $1.2 goes to Al Shabab every year.
VOA Somali service has learnt that Al Shabab imposed taxes on good imported at Mogadishu port.  A businessman has mentioned that even the public knows how much Al Shabab gain each day.
Staff member of Hormuud Telecom,Taaj Express,Salaam Bank iyo Dahabshiil Money Transfer say 41% of their colleagues collaborate directly or indirectly with Al Shabab.
"They receive every month print out of Hawala and bank statements, they also have access to the telephone calls” said an official who wants to remain anonymous.
Director of Somali chamber of commerce Mr Abdi Abshir Dhore has confirmed to VOA that Al Shabab imposed regular tax on good and products imported at Mogadishu port.
Al Shabab gets $20 Million dollars from south Somalia alone last year 2018, but this year the estimation of their income is to be around $73 Million.  They spend all their money for gathering intelligence information from government institutions, Amniyat forces, explosives, and feeding their fighters.
Somali finance minister Mr Abdirahman Bayle told Washington Post that he acknowledges his government doesn’t have the ability to stop or prevent Al Shabab’s tax collection. Public pay double tax, and its for sure that Al Shabab gets more tax than the government.
By Dahir Alasow
[email protected]