Wednesday May 3, 2023
Somalia's Prime Minister Hamza Barre (L) and the Minister of Religious Affairs Mukhtar Robow (R). Photo: OPM Somalia
Mogadishu (HOL) - The Federal government of Somalia's Ministry of Religious Affairs announced on Tuesday the official price for this year's Hajj pilgrimage, revealing a decrease in cost compared to last year. Somali Prime Minister Hamse Abdi Barre stated that this year's fees would be $4,484, a drop from the $5,500 to $6,000 that Somalis paid in previous years. The high cost in previous years created an obstacle for those who wished to perform Hajj and worship God.
The Ministry of Religion and Endowments has warned that action will be taken against any company that overcharges Somali pilgrims this year. The committee that managed the competition for companies offering Hajj services reported that 356 companies participated, but only 75 were successful. Daallo Airlines won the contract to transport the pilgrims after competing with ten other airlines.
Last month, Sheikh Abdulkadir Soomoow, the spokesman for Ahlu Sunna Waljama'a (ASWJ), announced that the group had severed its cooperation with the Ministry of Religion and Endowment of Somalia. The spokesman accused the Federal Ministry of Religion of mismanaging the competition for Hajj administration this year, claiming that the bidding process was unfairly denied to ASWJ and given to a particular party.
However, Prime Minister Barre assured the public that his government would transparently manage and monitor the companies delivering Hajj services. The Hajj is a pilgrimage to Mecca that every financially and physically able Muslim must undertake at least once in their lifetime. It is considered the most spiritual event a Muslim can experience, as they observe rituals in the most sacred places in the Islamic world.