July 1, 2014 | Morning Headlines.
Federal Parliament approves the newly proposed Judicial Reform Bill
30 Jun – Source: Radio Mogadishu/RBC – 99 words
Somalia’s Federal Parliament on Monday approved unanimously the adoption of the new Judicial Reform Bill which has been proposed by the cabinet of the ministers to the parliament, RBC reports. On Monday’s parliament session, 79 lawmakers voted in favor for the new bill while 54 rejected the bill. Only nine lawmakers abstained from the bill. There has been an intense debate over whether the Judicial Bill is effective and based on the country’s constitution while some Members of the Federal Parliament described the bill as key one to enable the expected reform on the country’s poor judicial system.
Key Headlines
- Federal Parliament approves the newly proposed Judicial Reform Bill (Radio Mogadishu/RBC)
- US congratulates the people and government of Somalia on July 1 (Radio Goobjoog)
- Somali government soldier shot dead in Mogadishu (Bar-kulan)
- Somaliland: Egal airport copes with massive increase in flights and passengers (Somaliland Informer)
- Kenyan governor released on bail says is innocent of mass killings (Reuters)
- Somalia car bomb rips through market as China unveils embassy plans (The Guardian)
PRESS STATEMENT
Justice & Constitutional Affairs Minister: “The establishment of the Judiciary Service Commission Law is a milestone achievement towards the reform of the Justice sector in Somalia”
30 Jun – Source: Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs – 346 words
H.E. Farah Sheikh Abdulkadir, the Minister of Justice & Constitutional Affairs today welcomed the Parliament’s overwhelming approval of the Judiciary Service Commission Law. Minister Farah said “The Parliament’s approval of the Judiciary Service Commission Law is a milestone achievement towards the reform of the Justice sector in Somalia.”
Article 109A of the Provisional Constitution establishes a Judicial Service Commission, comprised of nine (9) members, which shall be members from the judiciary, members from the Law Society, the Human Rights Commissioner; and individuals with high reputation within the Somali society.
The Minister said “Today’s vote in the parliament is a significant progress towards establishing the rule of law in Somalia. The government of Somalia, in collaboration with the parliament and all other key stakeholders in the justice sector have been working very hard to re-establish the Justice Sector in the country.
Minister Farah, speaking on to the media said “The Federal Government of Somalia is committed to the reform of the justice in order to ensure that our Judicial system is transparent and accountable to the people. As the country is moving towards peace and stability, it is right that we improve our judiciary system so that our people will be confident in our system. People deserve justice that is fair and treats all citizens equally.”
The Minister continued “It is essential for the Somali people to take part in the process, as the engagement of the public is the key to the success. I therefore call on every citizen to support the reform of the justice sector in order to improve the quality of our judicial system. We want our people to have confidence in the system, which in turn could bring peace and stability in the country. The rule of law is paramount to the peace and prosperity of our country.”
For over 23 years the Somali judiciary system lacked a supreme body that nominate, promote, discipline and oversight the work of sitting judges from district, regional and federal levels. Therefore today’s parliament approval will be the beginning of fundamental reform of Somali judiciary system.
SOMALI MEDIA
Federal Parliament approves the newly proposed Judicial Reform Bill
30 Jun – Source: Radio Mogadishu/RBC – 99 words
Somalia’s Federal Parliament on Monday approved unanimously the adoption of the new Judicial Reform Bill which has been proposed by the cabinet of the ministers to the parliament. On Monday’s parliament session, 79 lawmakers voted in favor for the new bill while 54 rejected the bill. Only nine lawmakers abstained from the bill. There has been an intense debate over whether the Judicial Bill is effective and based on the country’s constitution while some Members of the Federal Parliament described the bill as key one to enable the expected reform on the country’s poor judicial system.
Somali government soldier shot dead in Mogadishu
30 Jun – Source: Bar-kulan – 95 words
Gunmen have on Monday afternoon shot dead a Somali government soldier near Bakara Market in the Somali capital, Mogadishu according to eyewitnesses. An eyewitness who talked to Bar-kulan said that the soldier was shot multiple times in his upper body. The assailants are reported to have escaped from the scene. Meanwhile, government security forces arrived at the scene and are now carrying out investigations into the incident. No one has claimed responsibility so far. The victim is the 3rd government soldier to be killed in Mogadishu since the start of the holy month of Ramadan.
US congratulates the people and government of Somalia on July 1
30 Jun – Source: Radio Goobjoog – 156 words
In a press statement from the office of the Secretary of State, the United States of America, sends its congratulations to the people of Somalia. “On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I congratulate the people and government of Somalia on your 54th Independence Day on July 1. The United States is proud to support Somalia as it continues on the path to becoming a stable, federal democracy and a strong international partner. We remain determined to help rebuild the political, economic, and security institutions that will provide lasting stability and meet the aspirations of the Somali people. It reads. Today, Somalia’s outlook is improving because Somalis themselves have taken on the responsibility for reclaiming what was lost and rebuilding what was destroyed. They are the ones who have assumed the lead, and they are the ones who can be proud of the precious nature of the opportunity now before us.
Somaliland: Egal airport copes with massive increase in flights and passengers
30 Jun – Source: Somaliland Informer – 136 words
Egal International Airport in Hargeisa is now coping with massive increase in flights and passengers during the summer where thousands of expatriates are now returning to their homeland from overseas are arriving at the airport with daily flights to the capital. Although the Ministry of Aviation did not provide the exact number of passengers arriving or departing from the airport but it is believed that the number of passengers are hitting high record ever since the current Silanyo led government assumed the country’s leadership. Civil airline companies such as Ethiopian airlines, Daalo, Juba Airways, African Airways have all flights that to or from Egal airport. Besides civil airlines there are UN and EU flights that made the airport to become busy as a bee.
REGIONAL MEDIA
China to re-open Somalia embassy: Beijing
30 Jun – Source: Capital FM/Daily Nation – 121 words
China will re-open its embassy in strife-torn Somalia after a 23-year absence, it said Monday, as Beijing extends its diplomatic and resources push into Africa. Beijing and Mogadishu established diplomatic ties in 1960, but China withdrew its diplomatic personnel and shut down its mission as the East African country descended into civil war in 1991. The two maintained diplomatic relations despite the lack of a physical embassy. Somalia’s al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab fled fixed positions in Mogadishu three years ago, and have since lost most large towns to a 22,000-strong UN-backed African Union force, fighting alongside government soldiers. The country has established its first government and parliament in 20 years, and Beijing will send a “re-opening group” on Tuesday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said at a regular briefing.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Kenyan governor, released on bail, says is innocent of mass killings
30 Jun – Source – Reuters – 186 words
A Kenyan politician arrested in connection with the murder of 65 people on the coast this month denied responsibility after a court freed him on bail on Monday. Issa Timamy, the governor of Lamu county, was arrested last Wednesday over the gun attacks, which President Uhuru Kenyatta blamed on local political networks rather than the Somali rebel group al Shabaab which claimed responsibility. “I am not responsible for those attacks. Why would I kill my own people in my own county? I am innocent and if they (police) think I actually committed the crimes, then they should not have released me,” he told reporters outside the court. Prosecutors said they still intended to charge Timamy with murder, forceful transfer of populations and terrorism related offences, over the killings in the Mpeketoni area of Lamu, the worst attacks since last September’s al Shabaab raid on a shopping mall in Nairobi in which 67 were killed. On Monday the judge declined prosecutors’ request to detain Timamy for 14 days, and released him on bail of 5 million shillings ($57,000) cash or a bond of 20 million shillings.
Somalia car bomb rips through market as China unveils embassy plans
30 Jun – Source: The Guardian – 104 words
A car has bomb ripped through a bustling market in Mogadishu, killing two people and wounding seven, just hours after China announced plans to reopen its embassy in Somalia. China withdrew diplomatic personnel and axed its mission in the east African country as it descended into civil war in 1991. The pair maintained diplomatic relations despite the absence of a headquarters. On Monday morning, China said it would reinstate its embassy in Somalia on Tuesday amid signs the country was making solid progress in its efforts to restore peace. But the subsequent explosion in the capital could prompt concerns over moves to strengthen ties.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“Unlike after the Westgate siege, the attack on Mpeketoni has left Kenya more divided and therefore more vulnerable.”
Kenya’s Infighting is Good for No-one, Except al Shabaab
30 Jun – Source: Think Africa Press – 811 words
The response to the attacks in and around Mpeketoni earlier this month, in which over 60 people were killed, could not have been more different to the reaction prompted by the attack on the Westgate shopping mall in September 2013, when 67 were murdered. On an international level, there was comparatively little media coverage and a muffled international outcry over Mpeketoni, despite the similar death tolls. Domestically too, the response differed significantly. In the wake of Westgate, the nation became galvanised and united in rebuking the threat posed by the Somali Islamist militants al-Shabaab who were responsible for the siege. Following the Mpeketoni attack, however, confusion ran amok and the finger of blame was pointed in all directions. The incident was treated less as a tragedy and more as an opportunity for political point-scoring. Initially, al Shabaab claimed responsibility for Mpeketoni killings through a spokesperson, declaring that Kenya was now “officially a war zone.” However, in a speech to the nation the next day, Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta dismissed the notion that the Islamist militants were behind the attack, maintaining instead that it was “politically motivated ethnic violence.” Though he did not explicitly mention names, local media outlets interpreted Kenyatta’s allegations as being aimed at the leader of the opposition, Raila Odinga. In response to these apparent accusations, Odinga in turn blamed the Kenyatta administration for failing to address the security situation since Westgate and called for the resignation of Joseph ole Lenku, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government.