March 30, 2018 | Daily Monitoring Report
The Motion Still Stands To Be Voted, Says Deputy Speaker Mudey
30 March: Source: Hiiraan Online – 131 Words
The first Deputy Chairman of the House of the People, Mr. Abdiweli Ibrahim Mudey, last night spoke to the press again about the status of the motion against Speaker Mohamed Osman Jawari. Mudey stated that nothing has changed legally in terms of the process of the no-confidence motion against Speaker Jawari, and said it is expected to be brought before the house on Saturday.
Deputy Muudey further said the motion against the Speaker was to be voted within 10 working days from the date the motion was tabled, and therefore the motion is set for 31 March 2018. The statement of Deputy Speaker of Parliament came after MPs supporting Speaker Jawari announced that the deadline of the motion had elapsed thus calling on the Speaker to resume his duties normally.
Key Headlines
- The Motion Still Stands To Be Voted Says Deputy Speaker Mudey (Hiiraan Online)
- Rival Somalia Government Soldiers Clash In Day 2 Fighting In Jowhar (Radio Dalsan)
- East Africa Bloc Calls For Inclusive Power Sharing In Central Somalia (Shabelle News)
- Aid Agencies Switch To Cash-based Cards In Somalia (TRT World)
- Agriculture ‘Key To Reviving Somali Economy’ (Public Finance International)
- Somalia: How Farmajo Fragmented His Fragile State (Wardheere News)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Rival Somalia Government Soldiers Clash In Day 2 Fighting In Jowhar
30 March – Source: Radio Dalsan – 104 Words
Two rival Somali government army groups on Friday morning resumed fighting in the Hirshabelle administrative capital Jowhar. All activities came to a standstill in Jowhar, when rival troops exchanged fire a day after a bodyguard to the regional Vice President Ali Guudlawe was shot dead in the clashes.
A reporter in Jowhar said, the Friday clashes disrupted business and movement of people. On Thursday, Vice President Guudlawe’s vehicle was shot at several times. A stand off between soldiers loyal to the Vice President and the regional forces was still on by noon, and authorities are yet to comment on the cause of the clashes.
East Africa Bloc Calls For Inclusive Power Sharing In Central Somalia
29 March – Source: Shabelle News – 175 Words
East Africa’s bloc on Thursday appealed to warring parties in central Somalia, to embrace inclusive power-sharing arrangements for peace after reaching the deal late last year. The Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) said, it has started implementation of the Peace Agreement, signed between the leadership of Galmudug administration and moderate Islamic group, Ahlu Sunna Waljama’a (ASWJ) in December 2017. “This long-awaited process aimed at uniting the two divided parties and enabling them to be governed under one umbrella,” IGAD said in a statement issued in Mogadishu.
It said the process will continue until the end of parliament merging, harmonization of the constitution, the formation of an inclusive cabinet and integration of forces. The bloc said the parties on Thursday embarked on parliament merging, where a preliminary agreement was reached between the two parties on the proportional distribution of MPs to the clans after a political dialogue. The agreement entails merging of parliament, the harmonization of the constitution and the formation of an inclusive cabinet for Galmudug region as well as the integration of ASWJ forces.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Aid Agencies Switch To Cash-based Cards In Somalia
30 March – Source: TRT World – Video: 1:45 Minutes
Aid groups in Somalia used to give out food, but this proved ineffective. So last year they started giving internally displaced people cards or vouchers loaded up with cash instead.In Somalia, the UN says almost three million people are at risk of drought and malnutrition. Many of them have had to leave their homes in search of water and food, but there isn’t always enough.
Agriculture ‘Key To Reviving Somali Economy’
29 March – Source: Public Finance International – 258 Words
Agriculture must play a central part in boosting Somalia’s economy and alleviating poverty, the World Bank and the Food and Agriculture Organisation have said. In a joint report, the organisations highlighted the many factors that have contributed to a severe decrease in crop yields and urged the country to invest more in agriculture. It said the East African nation has had to deal with “weak institutions, insecurity, a persistent insurgency, dilapidated infrastructure, environmental degradation and climate change” – all of which have produced a low crop yield.
Rebuilding resilient and sustainable agriculture in Somalia noted that, despite the challenges the country has faced over the last 30 years, livestock and crops remain key sources of economic activity, employment and exports. Agriculture makes up 75% of the country’s GDP and 93% of total exports. Around half (49%) of Somalia’s population lives in rural areas and 46% of employed people work in agriculture.
Rapid population growth and urbanisation alongside the collapse of crop production has led to increased imports. These peaked at nearly $1.5bn in 2015, up from an annual average of $82m in the late 1980s. Pascal Sanginga, senior investment support officer at the Food and Agriculture Organisation, said: “Rising imports are indicative of increasing demand and a broader opportunity to invest in agriculture, and stimulate a private agribusiness sector in Somalia.” “Making more and better investments in agriculture from the government, private sector, civil society and the vibrant enterprising Somali diaspora is one of the most effective ways to reduce hunger and poverty and expand economic opportunities.”
OPINION, ANALYSIS & CULTURE
“Instead of implementing security stabilization program, pushing legislation that is overdue, enhancing ministries and their capacities, economic recovery and debt relief with international financial institutions, the executive branch is wasting precious time on toppling the chairman of the fledgling parliament and replace him with someone that gets the marching orders form Villa Somalia.”
Somalia: How Farmajo Fragmented His Fragile State
29 March – Source: Wardheere News – 778 Words
The sweltering March heat of Mogadishu, Somalia’s torn city, is often unbearable to the average citizen. Even so, one cannot notice the virtually stagnated and politically destabilized fragile state, and nothing short of helter-skelter characterizes this city of over 2 million residents. In the north, the war between Somaliland and Puntland is imminent; to the south, Kenya is abrasively building a wall, forcefully separating Somali families on both sides of the border. Adding insult to an injury, two of its ports (Bossaso and Berbera) are outside the grip of the nation. And, what is Villa Somalia busy with? Of course not these pressing issues, but its busy with toppling the most recognizable post-civil leader of the country since 2012, and that is the chairman of the Lower House.
On March, 14, 2018, the duo of Prime Minister Hassan Khayre, who has so far exhibited extreme infantile impatience, and Presidential Chief of Staff, Fahad Yasin, a political manipulator whose skills match those of Steve Bannon, introduced a wicked motion to oust Mr. Jawari. To get there, Fahad Yasin proposes that the duo use the deputy speaker of the parliament, Mr. Muday, who is a cousin of the Chief of staff, Mr. Fahad. Many wonder how Somalia got to a point where the family of Fahad Yasin could dominate the politics of this clan-based society, especially when Fahad Yasin incidentally comes from a small clan. Is this a sign of a democratic Somalia evolving and giving those hitherto oppressed a chance to be at the top? Far from that.
Many speculate that Fahad Yasin wields undue influence over President Farmajo because of the fact that he has the pipeline through which Qatar’s money is delivered to Villa Somalia. In the current political calculus, money sways loyalty more than clan affinity. The due (Prime Minister Khayre and Fahad Yasin – both hold non-elected offices) – are believed to run the nation’s affairs more than the reclusive president, whom Somalis lately nicknamed “Mooge,” that is to say “inattentive, or “heedless.”
The President for the good part of one year has been non-existent and ineffective at a time when the country demands vision and strong leadership. Somalis often give one a fitting nickname after careful and collective assessment of the attributes of the person in question. So is “Mooge” a fitting description of the “inattentive” Farmajo.
During his tenure, Al-Shabab has gotten brazen and increased its operations in Mogadishu. Besides the Zobbe business center with the largest causality ever (500 were killed), several key sites have been repeatedly bombed. The latest two incidents were within a short walking distance from the tattered presidential palace, at a time when the president is taking shelter in an undisclosed military camp.
TOP TWEETS
@HarunMaruf: Puntland police on alert as terror threat increases in the northeast https://www.voanews.com/a/
@SomalNews: JAWAARI: Veteran politician, STATESMAN, well educated, LAWYER, minister in ‘70s, ‘80s, led parliament since 2012, former Leader of Constitution Committee, no man’s man, MUUDEY Almost illiterate, barely writes or reads, biased, corrupt, Farmaajo & Khayre’s man #SOMALIA #Mogadishu
@horseed: SOMALIA: Agriculture is Key to Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction (Report).
@Somaliweyn: One day after donating his entire salary of March to orphans, Deputy PM Mahdi Mohamed Guled is back on the streets taking part in the street cleaning campaign to make Mogadishu a better city!
@DalsanFM: Hirshabelle Vice President Car Shot At & Bodyguard Killed In Firefight Between SNA Soldiers –http://radiodalsan.com/en/
@HarunMaruf: Video: Tit-for-tat political statements continue as 1st Deputy Speaker Abdiweli Ibrahim Mudey reiterated that the Speaker will be impeached on Saturday. #SomaliPoliticalCrisis
@sntvnews1: Several #AlShabaab Killed In Botched Attack At Army Base And Livestock Market In Banaadir District, #Somalia@amisomsomalia @engyarisow
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Deputy Prime Minister of Somali Federal Republic, Mahdi Mohamed Guled and civilians taking part in cleaning up the streets of Mogadishu.
Photo: @Goobjoognews