September 27, 2017 | Morning Headlines
Galmudug MPs Vote Out President Ahmed Dualle Geelle Haaf
26 September – Source: Garowe Online – 195 Words
The MPs of Somalia’s central semi-autonomous region of Galmudug State have voted on Tuesday to oust President Ahmed Dualle Geelle Haaf on a vote of no confidence, Garowe Online reports. The speaker of the State Parliament, Ali Ga’al Asir, has confirmed the dismissal, after 52 lawmakers voted for the removal of the President, 2 rejected, while one has abstained during the voting. The move came following a deadlock among the top leaders of Galmudug over the recent decision of President Haaf, in which he sided with Saudi led Arab alliance against Qatar, while he was in the UAE.
It remains unclear what would be the legitimacy of the no confidence vote booted out the President as the Speaker of the assembly is under house arrest, and did not chair today’s Parliament session. This step is likely to cause a chaos in the regional administration’s politics, as the President is defiant over the Parliament decision, removing him from office. He has been in power since last May, 2017. President Haaf was elected in May, 2017 as the second President of Galmudug by the regional lawmakers after a ballot in Adado, the interim administrative capital of the Somali Federal state.
Key Headlines
- Galmudug MPs Vote Out President Ahmed Dualle Geelle Haaf (Garowe Online)
- Jubbaland Leader Madobe Urges Calm Over Gulf Feud Disputes Calls For Talks (Goobjoog News)
- Southwest State Assembly Opposes Siding With Saudi-Led Bloc (Radio Shabelle)
- Deputy Secretary Reinforces U.S. Support For Defeating Al-Shabab ISIS (Defense.gov)
- Statement At The House Of The People On The Amended Media Law (SONNA)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Jubbaland Leader Madobe Urges Calm Over Gulf Feud Disputes, Calls For Talks
26 September – Source: Goobjoog News – 308 Words
Jubbaland President Ahmed Islam Madobe has called for calmness in the ongoing disputes between the regional administrations and the federal government over the fall out in the Gulf Crisis. President Madobe said the disputes were tantamount to destabilizing the country and pledged to mediate between the regional presidents and the federal government, adding there was need for respect between the two levels of government. “These days there seem to be a disagreement in the country; mere talks and finger pointing. I believe that only peace and negotiation can sustain something. Disagreement only destroys. It has no progress and brings no development. Generally we need to respect one another in federal and regional levels and through negotiation, we can reach success and prosperity,” said President Madobe.
President Madobe remarks follow the decision by Puntland, Galmudug and South West states to go their way in support of Saudi Arabia-UAE against the Federal Government’s decision. These states have cited economic, security and cultural ties with Saudi Arabia and UAE and also accused President Mohamed Farmaajo of dragging his feet despite, what they termed as his promise to issue a new direction following a meeting in July. Jubbaland isthe only state in Somalia which has not made its position known in the Gulf feud. Only HirShabelle has publicly announced support for the Federal government. President Madobe pledged to convene a meeting in his state capital Kismayu bringing together regional heads to resolve the conflicts. “This country needs negotiation and exercising harmony on whatever happens. Kismayo meeting is solely about regional leaders to express their grievances against the federal government. Every leader whether in federal or regional level will one day vacate office. What sort of legacy will one leave behind?”
Southwest State Assembly Opposes Siding With Saudi-Led Bloc
25 September – Source: Radio Shabelle – 106 Words
The lawmakers of Somalia’s Southwest state parliament have vehemently opposed the recent decision by President, Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden to side with Saudi-led bloc. Ali Hassan Osman, one of the parliamentarians in South West State assembly, said the President has violated the state constitution by supporting Saudi alliance against Qatar.
In the past few days, the administration of Southwest has been plagued into a political disagreement over President Aden’s decision to side with one part in the Gulf States. Puntland and Galmudug states have similarly severed ties with Qatar, and sided with Saudi-UAE coalition, a move that sparked division between the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and federal member states.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Deputy Secretary Reinforces U.S. Support For Defeating Al-Shabab, ISIS
26 September – Source: Defense.gov – 295 Words
In a meeting at the Pentagon with Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khayre of Somalia yesterday, Deputy Defense Secretary Pat Shanahan reinforced the strong U.S. support for defeating the Al-Shabaab and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, a spokesperson for Shanahan said. In a statement summarizing the meeting, Navy Cmdr. Sarah Higgins said Shanahan also noted U.S. support for the Somali government as it works through the difficult decisions in implementing the national security architecture agreed to in May at the London Somalia Conference.
The leaders also discussed efforts to prevent terrorists from using Somalia as a safe haven, she added. “Both leaders emphasized the importance of maintaining pressure on regional terrorist groups through the African Union Mission in Somalia and Somali national forces, as well as the importance of political progress in securing lasting stability,” Higgins said. In remarks he delivered at the conference in May, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said the United States recognizes that it is essential for Somalia to have a professional, trusted military and proper police force that answers to civilian authority. Mattis also encouraged Somalia’s international partners to stay the course and work together. “A strong and committed partnership is required to provide the resources needed for long-term stability in Somalia,” he added
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“Minister Eng. Yarisow said, “You can understand the high priority of this media law and the importance to the development of media so that our citizens can get their fundamental rights of information and news that can promote the peace, development and the unity of the nation. Since we have received concerns from our journalists regarding some of the articles of the media law, we had no option but to consider their request.”
Statement At The House Of The People On The Amended Media Law
26 September – Source: Somali National News Agency (SONNA) – 993 Words
Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism of the Federal Republic of Somalia, H.E. Abdirahman Omar Osman (Eng. Yarisow) on Saturday 23, presented the amended media law before the House of the People in order for the parliamentarians to take their constitutional duty on the law in order to approve it. ” It is a great pleasure for me to come before you and present the amended media law, at the same time, I thank you for your valuable role in representing the Somali society including me”. Minister Eng. Yarisow said The Minister provided details about the historic stages of the media law that the then Interim Federal Parliament passed for the first time in 2007 as though its procedure was not officially completed. Since then there were many attempts to make amendments.
The Minister thanked his predecessors, ministers Mareye and Duhulow, who prepared this media law that went through a rigorous consultation with stakeholders in 2013 to 2015. H.E. Mustaf Dhuhulow brought the media law before the cabinet in September 2014 then finally former Minister Mareye presented it to the parliament in 2015 and they passed it on 28th December in 2015. And then this year the ministry of information made further consultations with key stakeholders. Minister Eng. Yarisow explained the reasons for amending the media law, saying it was the result of addressing concerns from media practitioners that requested some key points to be changed before taking effect.
“Considering a request from media practitioners, we promised to review it and started consultations as soon as I took office in April 2017, then on 6th May to 8th May, 2017 with Ministers of Information from Federal member states of Somalia here in Mogadishu in attendance with journalists from media group. We agreed to points that needed amendment, we then continued to put together the emended version till another consultation meeting happened in June, 2017. After that the ministry submitted amended version copies to the media practitioners and Ministers of Information in regional states on 22 June and 11 July 2017. The cabinet finally passed the media law on 13th of July 2017” Eng. Yarisow said.