November 5, 2012 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Somali PM names new cabinet, first female as a foreign minister

04 Nov – Source: Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu/Jowhar Online/Shabelle/Mareeg Online/Raxanreeb/Garowe Online/Hiiraan Online – 92 words

Somalia’s new prime minister Abdi Farah Shirdon Saaid on Sunday named his cabinet of 10 ministers, a government statement said. Saaid named a smaller government mainly from the Somali Diaspora. The new government will face the daunting task of solving the war-ravaged country’s security, political, social and economic problems. Only three ministers from the previous government of Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo are included in the new line-up, while the rest are new faces. Abdihakim Muhammad Haji Fiqi who was formerly Defence Minister has been reappointed for the same ministry. Abdullahi Abyan Nur was also appointed Minister for Justice, Religious Affairs and Endowment, while Maryan Qasim who was previously the Minister for Gender, is now the Minister for Development of Social Services.

Key Headlines

Somali PM names new cabinet first female as a foreign minister ( Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu/Jowhar Online/Shabelle)
Somalia wants Ugandan troops to remain (Shabelle/Radio Mustaqbal)
President Mohamud meets U.S officials in Mogadishu (Bar-kulan/Shabelle/Radio Mogadishu/Universal TV)
Somali president meets with IGAD chief (Somaliweyn)
Federal Parliament amends article in Somalia’s Provisional Constitution (Garowe Online)
1 dead scores injured in Kenya grenade attack (Africa Review/Daily Nation)
Uganda pulling out of Somalia says Amama (Daily Monitor/New Vision)
EU Somalia seek to improve governance education (East Day News)

SOMALI MEDIA

Somali PM names new cabinet, first female as a foreign minister

04 Nov – Source: Bar-kulan/Radio Mogadishu/Jowhar Online/Shabelle/Mareeg Online/Raxanreeb/Garowe Online/Hiiraan Online – 92 words

Somali president meets with IGAD chief

04 Nov – Source: Somaliweyn/Horseed Online – 100 words

Somalia’s president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Saturday met the IGAD Executive Secretary, Eng. Mahboub Maalim, at his office in Villa Somalia. The high level delegation of IGAD visited Mogadishu for the second time in two weeks and had productive discussions with the president of Somalia that addressed issues of cooperation and support for Somalia, with an emphasis on security improvement in the country and the role of IGAD in assisting the Somali government. The meeting comes as Somalia enters a new and historic phase of peace and stabilization.

Twin suicide bombing at Mogadishu restaurant

03 Nov – Source: Garowe Online/Raxanreeb/Shabelle/Radio Mogadishu – 106 words

A double suicide bombing at a restaurant in Mogadishu killed 3 people including the two suicide bombers and a guard, Garowe Online reports. The suicide bombers targeted the Village restaurant and cafe near Mogadishu’s Soobe’s intersection that was frequented by government officials and Somali diaspora. According to local sources, the restaurant was packed with customers when two suicide bombers attempted to barge in the restaurant but were foiled by security guards. The suicide bombers detonated the explosives strapped to their bodies’ in front of the restaurant killing a guard and injuring more than 10 people.

Former Defence Minister visits Kismayo

02 Nov – Source: Bar-kulan/Shabelle/Mareeg Online – 94 words

Former Defence Minister Hussein Arab Isse on Friday visited the port city of Kismayo for the first time since the city fell into the hands of the allied forces late August. The minister is accompanied by several top other government officials including Army Chief Gen Abdulkadir Ali Dini and is expected to meet officials of the recently crafted local interim administration. Area security chairman Yasin Noor Gas told Bar-kulan strengthening necessary security measures, boosting the fight against al Shabaab and establishing local administration for the port city are among issue expected to dominate the meeting.

Somalia wants Ugandan troops to remain

04 Nov – Source: Shabelle/Radio Mustaqbal – 101 words

Somalia’s prime minister said on Saturday that it could be a challenge for his country if Uganda followed through on a threat to withdraw troops fighting Islamist rebels in southern Somalia. Uganda’s foreign affairs ministry said earlier that it would withdraw from peace keeping initiatives in Africa unless the United Nations amended a report accusing it of supporting rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Somali Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon Saaid told Reuters in an interview that Somalia had not yet received any official communication from Uganda on the issue of withdrawing from the African Union force known as AMISOM.

President Mohamud meets U.S officials in Mogadishu

04 Nov – Source: Bar-kulan/Shabelle/Radio Mogadishu/Raxanreeb/Jowhar Online/Universal TV – 71 words

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Sunday met visiting American officials led by the U.S Under Secretary for Political Affairs, Wendy Sherman, in Mogadishu’s main airport. President Mohamud and the visiting U.S officials discussed range of issues including strengthening diplomatic relations and other forms cooperation between the two countries. Speaking to the press shortly after the meeting, president Mohamud said he was delighted to have the American team visit Mogadishu.

Federal Parliament amends article in Somalia’s Provisional Constitution

03 Nov – Source: Garowe Online – 102 words

The New Federal Parliament in a majority vote amended an article in the Provisional Federal Constitution which gives the President the authority to dissolve parliament, Garowe Online reports. The MPs voted on article 67 which gives the President the power to dissolve the Lower House of Parliament “if the Lower House fails to approve the Council of Ministers and the government program.” Out of 265 MPs, 168 took part in the parliamentary meeting in Mogadishu on Saturday and after extensive deliberation, 162 voted to amend the article, 3 voted to accept the article and the remaining 3 abstained from vote.

Militants “steal” herds in Middle Juba

02 Nov- Source: Bar-kulan – 82 words

Al Shabaab militants in Middle Juba region have reportedly stolen 170 herds of animal mainly camels and goats from local herders in Sakow and Salagle. Locals who requested not to be named for fear of reprisals alleged militants stole their animals in the name of collecting Zaka, adding that defiant herders were manhandled. Al Shabaab’s regional man tasked with Zaka collection, Ali Bulle, reportedly urged locals to surrender some of their animals to his militant group for the Zaka collection or faces unspecified measures.

REGIONAL MEDIA

1 dead, scores injured in Kenya grenade attack

04 Nov – Source: Africa Review/Daily Nation – 82 words

One police officer succumbed to injuries on Sunday after suspected al Shabaab militants hurled a grenade on the roof of a structure in Garissa, near Kenya’s border with Somalia. Five Administration Police officers were injured in the attack.The structure is usually used on Sunday as a prayer house by officers and their families. Administration Police Spokesman Massoud Mwinyi told Daily Nation that scores were injured in the attacks. Sporadic gunfire was also reported in the area in the wake of the attack.

Uganda pulling out of Somalia, says Amama

03 Nov – Source: Daily Monitor/New Vision – 130 words

The government has resolved to withdraw all UPDF troops in Somalia and other peacekeeping missions in Africa and send the soldiers to protect Uganda’s western border with DRC, Premier Amama Mbabazi told Parliament on Thursday night. The Prime minister made the statement while reading a response to the Leader of Opposition’s question on how Uganda is handling the Congo question in respect to the leaked UN report that Uganda was aiding the M23 rebels in the Democratic republic of Congo. Mr Mbabazi said that Uganda has sent ICT minister Ruhakana Rugunda to the UN with a protest letter dismissing what he termed as “a UN amateurs report” on Uganda’s involvement in the DR Congo and failure by the western powers to recognise Uganda’s contribution to peace in the region.

Two suicide bombers attack restaurant in Mogadishu

03 Nov – Source: Daily Nation – 95 words

Two suicide bombers attacked a restaurant in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu on Saturday, wounding several people, police said, and killing one victim, according to a witness. “There were two suicide bombers who attacked the Village restaurant. The two of them have died and other people who stayed in the place were injured. We are still investigating the casualties,” said Abdi Adan, a Somali police officer. A witness to the attack, Ahmed Salad Ibrahim, said a security guard at the restaurant had been killed in the blast — a report police said they could not immediately confirm.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Somalia gets first female foreign minister

04 Oct- Source: BBC- 321 words

Somalia gets its first female foreign minister in a cabinet formed by new Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon. Fauzia Yusuf Haji Adan is among 10 politicians joining a cabinet that has been significantly reduced in size. She described her inclusion as “historic” for both the country and Somali women in particular.

Somalia forms new government

04 Nov – Source: AFP – 69 words

Somali Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon Said on Sunday announced the members of his new government, noting that a woman has been named as foreign minister for the first time in the country’s history. “After long discussions and consultations, I have named my cabinet which consists of only ten members. Among them is a female foreign affairs minister for the first time in Somali history,” the prime minister said.

Kenya policeman killed, 11 injured in church attack

04 Nov – Source: BBC/Reuters – 111 words

A grenade attack on a church in a police compound in eastern Kenya has killed one police officer and injured at least 11 other people, reports say. The man who died was serving as pastor of the targeted church, in Garissa town near the border with Somalia. Most of the wounded are also reported to be police officers; some of whom were airlifted to hospital in Nairobi. In July, 15 people were killed in raids on churches in Garissa, and suspicion fell on the al Shabaab militant group. Police blamed the Somalia-based group and its sympathisers for the attack, and said they were angry over Kenya’s role in a UN-backed intervention force.

EU, Somalia seek to improve governance, education

03 Nov – Source: East Day News – 112 words

The European Union and Somali government are working together to improve governance, education and crate jobs in the Horn of Africa nation. A statement from the EU offices in Nairobi said on Saturday that EU special envoy for Somalia Michele Cervone d’Urso and President of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud have also launched together the new EU development package of 158 million euros that will be implemented in line with the priorities of the Somali government. “The EU has substantially increased its development budget for Somalia. In doing so, the EU is paying tribute to the peaceful political transition and takes into account the huge development needs of the Somali people,” d’Urso said.

SOCIALMEDIA

CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS

“It is perfectly logical to place a war monument inside a military barracks, as our military chiefs did on October 14. However, I think that a monument to the soldiers of Operation Linda Nchi should have been placed in the capital city.”

Needed: Public monument for Somalia war heroes

05 Nov – Source: Daily Nation – 995 Words

The war started off illegally and unconstitutionally. Parliament only got round to agreeing to it when boots were in the mud and the boys in the trenches. We joined the African Union Mission in Somalia long after crossing into Somalia. The haste to war was occasioned by increasing incursions into our territory — at least that was what we were told.

“Stray bullets, assassins dressed as schoolchildren, score-settling among warlords, clan feuds and Islamic militants—in Somalia, as ever, there are many ways to die.”

Somali journalists: A perilous profession

03 Nov – Source: Economist Blog – 426 Words

MOHAMED MOHAMUD, who was known as “Turyare” or “slightly hunchbacked” to his friends, was shot by unidentified gunmen in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, on October 21st. One week later, he died of his injuries after failed abdominal surgery. The 22-year-old reporter with the local Radio Shabelle network became the 17th Somali journalist to die this year. The 18th followed the next day when Warsame Shire Awale, a popular radio personality, was gunned down.