April 25, 2014 | Daily Monitoring Report.

Main Story

4 people die due to thirst in Galgadud region

25 Apr Radio Mogadishu/Radio Bar-kulan/SNTV- 181 words

Reports from Galgadud region indicate that at least two people have died of thirst in the past 24 hours in villages near Guri-el town taking the number of deaths from dehydration to four in this week alone.

Elder Mohamed Abdulle Rogobey, a member of a recently appointed emergency committee tasked with tackling the issue told Bar-kulan that a number of livestock have also perished due to the water shortages. He added that there are a number of people and livestock who are on the verge of dying from the severe water shortages that hit the region in recent weeks.

Meanwhile, the elder stated that the newly appointed committee has taken measures to deliver water to the affected villages in the area.

Rogobey added that the emergency efforts are jointly carried out by business communities and the local authority in Guri-el town.

The elder lamented that the local authority and business communities alone cannot tackle the issue and urged the federal government, Somali Diaspora communities and aid agencies to assist the affected families.

Key Headlines

4 people die due to thirst in Galgadud region (Radio Bar-kulan/SNTV)
Kenya: Police arrest Saudi Arabian near Somalia
7 Points Communiqué on Strengthening Somalia’s National Security (Somali Current)
FGM and forced marriages discussed in Mogadishu (Radio Bar-kulan)
FIFA MA course concludes in Mogadishu (Radio Goobjoog)
Somaliland: Kenyan government Team Arrive to Open Consulate (Somaliland Press)
Hijacked UNHCR car found near Somalia (Star- Kenya)
Former commissioner of wadajir District leaves office (Radio Goobjoog/SNTV)
Uganda People’s Defense Force probes sale of Somalia mission slots (Observer)
Police pursue TV live show threat in Pangani blast (Standard Media)
IMB urge maritime vigilance after fall in piracy off Somali coast (Coastweek)
Uhuru pays tribute to officers killed in Pangani explosion (Star-Kenya)
Kenyan police chief vows to enhance war against terrorists (China News/Xinhua)
East African countries edge closer to standby force (News24/Xinhua)

SOMALI MEDIA

4 people die due to thirst in Galgadud region

25 Apr Radio Mogadishu/Radio Bar-kulan/SNTV/Universaltv- 181 words

Meanwhile, the elder stated that the newly appointed committee has taken measures to deliver water to the affected villages in the area.

Rogobey added that the emergency efforts are jointly carried out by business communities and the local authority in Guri-el town.

7 Points Communiqué on Strengthening Somalia’s National Security

25 Apr – Source: Somali Current – 169 words

A three days conference organized by Ministry of National Security aimed at strengthening Somalia’s national peace and security was concluded in Mogadishu’s Aljazeera Hotel where 7 points recommendation were issued from the conference outcome by the participants at the confernce.

The outcome of the conference is expected to serve as the basis for the development of a comprehensive strategic framework for internal security policy in the country as well as understanding the general security situation of the country and identifying the sources of insecurity.

Participants at the conference included security experts from inside and outside the country as well as delegations from constituent regions within the country. In addition, the conference was graced by the attendance of foreign dignitaries, diplomats, United Nations representatives, AMISOM and regional organizations.

The Prime Minister of the Federal Government of Somalia Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed closed the Conference and expressed his gratitude to the organizers as well as the participants and declared an unwavering commitment of his government to implement the Conference recommendations.

Former commissioner of wadajir District leaves office

25 Apr- Source: Radio Goobjoog/SNTV/Universaltv- 104 words

The former commissioner of wadajir District Ahmed Hassan Daaci has handover the office to the newly appointed commissioner Ahmed Abdulle Afrah. In a well-organized ceremony held at the District headquarters last night with the presence of The governor of Banadir region and Mayor of Mogadishu Hassan Mohamed Hussein Mungaab. Mr. Daaci finally leaves office after serving eight years as the commissioner of wadajir District.

On the other hand the new commissioner thanked the former administration for the great work and improving the service delivery in the district. This move is part of ongoing plans to replace the former commissioners with youthful and educated individuals.

FGM and forced marriages discussed in Mogadishu

25 Apr – Source: Bar-kulan – 128 words

A meeting to address the medical and psychological complications associated with female genital mutilation practices and forced marriages in Somalia has been held in Somali capital, Mogadishu.

Somali government officials, Civil Society members, Women and Religious scholars attended the meeting which was jointly organized by Somalia’ Ministry of Women and Human Rights and AMISOM.

Somalia’s Minister of Women and Human Rights, Khadijo Mohamed Dirie highlighted the severe medical complications that women have to endure after having themselves subjected to the cut and forced marriages.

The minister added that both FGM practices and forced marriages are basic human rights violations against women. Religious scholars who spoke at the meeting also stressed that the female genital mutilation practice is a cultural norm that has nothing to do with Islamic faith.

FIFA MA course concludes in Mogadishu

25 Apr- Source: Radio Goobjoog- 132 words

FIFA MA course which was going in Somalia the last five days was yesterday concluded in Mogadishu. Ahmed Al-shanawi, Egyptian FIFA instructor was training 28 Somali referees in Mogadishu.

Ahmed Al-Shenawi in a prolonged speech said that he is happy to come to Mogadishu and promised that he will convey message to FIFA that Mogadishu is safe and sound hold future courses.

The five days course was officially closed by Minister for sports and youth Khalid Omar Ali, he encouraged the trained referees to take their time and pass to other referees what they have during the course.

This is the first time FIFA MA course held in Mogadishu since the collapse of government of Somalia in 1991.

All the participants were given certificate of attendance after the end of the course.

Somaliland: Kenyan government Team Arrive to Open Consulate

24 Apr – Source: Somaliland Press – 102 words

The issue of Kenya establishing direct diplomatic relations with Somaliland is now a foregone conclusion.

This development follows the arrival in Hargeisa of a team from Kenya’s ministry of Foreign affairs in company of the Somaliland representative in Nairobi Ambassador Mahmud Jama Sifir for the specific purpose of official opening a consulate in Hargeisa.

The first official salvo towards the Kenyan desire to open direct diplomatic relations with Somaliland was fired by principal secretary at the ministry of foreign affairs Karanja Kibicho during a briefing to the Nairobi parliament while the local announcement was made by Somaliland presidential spokesperson Ahmed Suleiman Duhul.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Kenya: Police arrest Saudi Arabian near Somalia

25 Apr- Source: Coastweek/ Xinhua/Star- 326 words

The Kenyan police said Thursday they are holding an ‘al Shabaab’ suspect believed to be financing and recruiting youths to join the ‘al-Qaida’ allied network. Lamu police chief Samson Obara said Ahmed Hanas was arrested on Wednesday at the common frontier in Kiunga in the coastal town of Lamu.

“We are still interrogating him, we suspects he could be behind the funding of the ‘al-Shabaab’ group, his presence in the town remains suspects,” Obara told Xinhua.

The police chief said Hanas, a Saudi national, was detained upon arriving in the coastal town by detectives acting on highly placed intelligence information.

Obara said the police also recovered a speedboat which they suspect is used to ferry foreign fighters into Somalia.

Uganda People’s Defense Force probes sale of Somalia mission slots

25 Apr – Source: Observer – 181 words

The army is investigating reports that commanders charge soldiers money to second them for deployment with the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom). An Observer investigation has found that commanders of UPDF’s specialised units deployed around the country sell the Amisom slots to their charges for between Shs 500,000 and Shs 1 million.

Soldiers who pass the initial selection from their units then face a second hurdle during specialised refresher training in preparation for deployment in Somalia. Military sources further told us that many of the soldiers have to part with more money along the chain, to ensure they are among those deemed fit for deployment to Amisom.

Asked what the army was doing about this matter, the UPDF spokesman, Lt Col Paddy Ankunda, said the military considered such actions criminal and would not hesitate to punish perpetrators if it gets conclusive evidence.

Ankunda, however, said the UPDF had hitherto hit a dead-end in its investigations. The information that the UPDF has so far gleaned on the vice allegedly practised by its commanders can at best be described as rumours.

Police pursue TV live show threat in Pangani blast

25 Apr – Source: Standard Media – 160 words

Police have arrested the owner of a car that exploded in Pangani, Nairobi County on Wednesday night, killing police officers and two suspected terrorists. The two officers killed in the terror blast were police constables Francis Murage and Samuel Cheptuk of Starehe Division.

The white Toyota NZE was registered to Ahmed Dugal Ali in 2000, according to records at the Kenya Revenue Authority. Thursday’s arrest came as detectives sought to establish the real targets of the terrorists. One possibility is that the pair planned to drive the car to the location where KTN television’s Jeff Koinange Live show was airing on 12th Street in the city’s Eastleigh area.

Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo, former National Assembly deputy Speaker Farah Maalim and Kamkunji MP Yusuf Hassan, a victim of a previous terrorist attack, had been scheduled to appear on the show. The subject of discussion in Wednesday night’s episode of the show was terrorism and the ongoing police crackdown.

IMB urge maritime vigilance after fall in piracy off Somali coast

25 Apr- Source: Coastweek- 806 words

A global maritime body on Thursday urged foreign vessels/ Masters not to be complacent as they transit the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden amid drop in piracy in the first quarter of 2014.

The latest report by the International Chamber of Commerce’s International Maritime Bureau (IMB) shows that piracy on the world’s seas is at its lowest first-quarter level since 2007, but warned that the threat is still present.

“As of March 31, suspected Somali pirates continue to hold one vessel for ransom with three crew members onboard as hostage. “In addition, 49 crewmembers are still held on land and four are missing,” said the IMB Piracy Report.

The global maritime body attributed the decline to continue presence of navies in the region, employment of private contracted armed security personnel along with the international efforts on land and the efforts of the elected central government within Somalia.

Uhuru pays tribute to officers killed in Pangani explosion

25 Apr – Source: Star News – 127 words

President Uhuru Kenyatta has said many lives would have been lost yesterday if it were not for the diligence of two officers who were killed during a car explosion outside the Pangani Police station yesterday.

The two were among four people who died when a car they were escorting to the Pangani Police station was blown up last night. Speaking during a pass out ceremony for GSU officers today, President Kenyatta thanked the two officers and other officers who have lost their lives while protecting Kenyans.

The President reiterated his government’s commitment to providing the police force with the necessary tools to enforce the law while also providing for the officers welfare. He said the government is committed to fighting crime “in whatever form it may take.”

Hijacked UNHCR car found near Somalia

25 Apr- Source: Star- Kenya- 359 words

A UNHCR vehicle from Dadaab that was hijacked by suspected al Shabaab militants on Wednesday morning has been recovered. Speaking to the Star on the phone yesterday, Fafi district commissioner Geoffrey Taragon said the vehicle was recovered on Wednesday evening at Ruka, 70km from Hagadera and five kilometres from Somalia.

“Our officers managed to recover the vehicle at 5pm after a hot pursuit of the militia men who were determined to cross over with it to Somalia,” Taragon said.

“This mission was made possible because the Nissan patrol vehicle is fitted with a tracking system. Our officers used this to track it up to where they found it abandoned.”

He said it was by God’s grace that the militants were caught in the nick of time just before they crossed over to Somalia. Taragon said recovering the vehicle could have been more difficult had it crossed to Somalia.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Kenyan police chief vows to enhance war against terrorists

25 Apr – Source: China News/Xinhua – 127 words

Kenya’s police chief has vowed to continue crackdown on terrorists despite Wednesday night’s car explosion which killed four people including two police officers. Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo said security forces will intensify their operations on terrorists in the country to ensure that there is peace.

“I want to assure Kenyans that war against terrorist is still on and we are not relenting. We cannot be cowed by such heinous acts and therefore I fully declare war against any acts of crime in the country,” Kimaiyo told journalists at the blast scene on Wednesday night.

There was panic at the scene when another explosion went off as the government and police briefed the media. However, the police confirmed that that the second explosion was a detonation.

East African countries edge closer to standby force

24 Apr – Source: News24/Xinhua – 137 words

The Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF) could be ready by December this year to tackle threats of terrorism in the region, officials attending a regional meeting said Wednesday.

EASF member countries are Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Seychelles, Somalia and Sudan. Meeting in Kigali on Wednesday, ministers of defense and army officials from the member countries attending a three-day meeting agreed on the need to operationalize the standby force.

James Kabarebe, Rwanda’s Minister of Defense, told the meeting that organs are in place upon which countries should rely on for the prevention of conflicts, threat mitigation and for peace building.

“We still continue to face daunting challenges through terrorist attacks against our innocent civilians,” he said, adding the activities of negative forces such as Rwandan rebels based in Congo, Al-Shabaab and others require collective action.

Food Security & Nutrition Quarterly Brief – Focus on Gu 2014 Season Early Warning

24 Apr- Source: relief web- 122 words

According to the post-Deyr 2013/14 seasonal assessment results, in February-June 2014, an estimated 857 000 people are classified in Crisis and Emergency acute food insecurity phases based on Integrated Phase Classification (IPC). In addition, the results of recent nutrition surveys among rural populations and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) of Somalia (issued by the FSNAU in January 2014), found high rates of acute malnutrition across the country, with a total caseload of 203 000 malnourished children under-five. The estimates of population in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) and Emergency (IPC Phase 4) are likely to remain unchanged through June 2014 as shown by the results of recent rapid field assessments (in March 2014) and a monthly monitoring of food security indicators by the FSNAU.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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

“What we need is a civic nationalist leader with great vision and wisdom who can lead with virtue, ethics, and integrity. One who understands everyone is obligated to act only in ways that respect human dignity and moral rights of all persons and leaders, one who understands that leading people and making money can’t go together.”

Somalia: Searching for Unity in a Fragmented Country

25 Apr- Source: Hiiraan Online- 368 words

Twenty-three years have passed since the collapse of the Somali federal government in 1991.

Since then, multiple regional states constituted as separate states, including Somaliland, have emerged as breakaways with no formal recognition from elsewhere. Other eastern Somali communities built their own administrations. In 1998, in the southeast of Somalia, Puntland was formed. Lately, two communities from the south in Jubbaland and southeast of Baidao declared their quasi-autonomous status within Somalia. Like Mogadishu, all the emerged states are based on a single clan.

Previously, the federal government’s leaders failed to put those states together as non-tribal states (six from the south and two from north) or eighteen regions after the October revolution 1969. Somalis citizens everywhere are hungry for a government that secures its own borders, secures its citizens and their property, delivers services and cares for national business interests. Unfortunately, none of this has been seen for the past two decades. The question to ask would simply be why?

“Restoring law and order in this anarchy is no simple matter.”

‘Support Somali state or risk takeover’

21 Apr- Source: the Star- 390 words

Jens Mjaugedal, Special Envoy of Norway to Somalia, is frustrated… which is hardly surprising given his mission to try to turn Somalia, the world’s most failed state for many years, into a success. The biggest problem in Somalia is how to keep the deadly al-Qaeda-affiliated Islamist militant group al-Shabaab at bay.

The AU’s robust peacekeeping mission in Somalia expelled al-Shabaab from Mogadishu two years ago, and is now engaged in a major offensive to try to rid the country of the scourge altogether.
Norway has had a long engagement in the country, and Mjaugedal warns war alone cannot save Somalia. It will not be helpful to clear al-Shabaab from the territories it holds, unless the Somali government replaces al-Shabaab’s administration in those areas with its own administration – rather than just military barracks.

And that raises Somalia’s second-biggest problem. The state has virtually no capacity, nor money, to run anything.

It cannot even issue birth and death certificates because all records have been destroyed by over two decades of war. There are five public schools and virtually no other services. And the skill levels of the public service are pathetically low.

Top tweets

@Somalia111 Good event to promote #Somalia National Army at #UN today. #UK, #US & #Ethiopia offer money. More needed.pic.twitter.com/pW0CcwpGbv

@UNSomalia #Somalia Quarterly #Food Security & Nutrition Update: http://bit.ly/RRB1Q8 cc @faoinsomalia

@UNSomalia @Somalia111: All efforts to support #SomaliaNational Army in vain if we do not protect human rights & international humanitarian law

@AmbAmerico Each country, it’s people are the ones who build it, we #Somalia should take part of rebuilding our country now.pic.twitter.com/iZ6pfPccLu

@UN_News_Centre #UN has no intention to withdraw from#Somalia, says senior official http://ow.ly/w5CBP @UNSomalia pic.twitter.com/CXHn2FYxxc

‏@AmbAmerico Investing in #Somalia isn’t just for the money, also is creating jobs for the youth,no one should come from outside to develop our country.

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Image of the day

Image of the day Somali Prime Minister, Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed, accompanied by the Minister of Air and Land Transport and his deputy, the Minister of Finance, the Turkish Ambassador and the General Manager of Aden Adde International Airport, laid the foundation stone for the building of the Aviation Training Academy at Aden Adde International Airport. 24 Apr 2014. Photo: Hiiraan Online