May 29, 2018 | Morning Headlines
Denmark Pledges Support To AMISOM In Somalia
28 May – Source: Mareeg.com – 126 Words
Denmark’s Ambassador to Kenya, Somalia, Eritrea and Seychelles, Mette Knudsen, on Monday paid a visit to the African Union mission in Somalia (AMISOM) headquarters in Mogadishu. The Ambassador held talks with the mission’s leadership, highlighting the need to manage AMISOM’s transition in a way that does not erase the gains so far made over the last 11 years.
The deputy head of African Union mission, Ambassador Simon Mulongo thanked the envoy for her visit to the AMISOM headquarters, in the Somali capital Mogadishu. Ambassador Mulongo thanked the Danish ambassador for the continued support AMISOM has received from her government in the mission’s efforts to restore peace in Somalia. The ambassador pledged Denmark’s continued support for AMISOM, especially, with regard to stabilization and the transition plan in Somalia
Key Headlines
- Denmark Pledges Support To AMISOM In Somalia (Mareeg.com)
- Federal Government Delivers Aid To Hirshabelle (Halbeeg News)
- Somalia: Parliament Staff Member Shot Dead In Mogadishu (Mareeg.com)
- Police Arrest Three Terrorism Suspects In Nyeri (Daily Nation)
- Professor Samatar Blasts Farmaajo’s Chief Justice Appointment (Hiiraan Online)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Federal Government Delivers Aid To Hirshabelle
28 May – Source: Halbeeg News – 231 Words
The Somali government has paid out $180,000 for aid to provide relief to families affected by floods in Hirshabelle state. Thousands of residents in Beledweyn, Bulaburde and Jowhar, Ballad, Mahaday towns have been displacement in the state after River Shabelle broke its banks. Delegates from Flood Respond Committee led by MP Mohamed Omar Eymoy, who visited Jowhar town, handed over the fund to the administration of Hirshabelle.
Speaking to media in Jowhar town, Eymoy said the money was channeled through Hirshabelle state, which has taken charge of providing relief to thousands of families rendered homeless by floods. “This is a tranche of the funds which Somali government intended to utilize as aid for flood victims in the country’s regions. The federal government earmarked $500,000 for Hirshabelle state but for now, the government has so far dispersed $180,000 as the first phase of the funds,” said Eymoy.
Ali Gudlawe, deputy leader of Hirshabelle state, commended the Federal government’s efforts to help flood victims across the country. “We thank the Federal government for this gesture that will go a long way in helping victims of recent floods to rebuild their lives,” he said. The official pointed out that they distributed the funds as per required. ” I promise to you that this fund will be used as per its purpose. I am handing over the amount to Hirshabelle Flood Respond Committee,” he noted.
Somalia: Parliament Staff Member Shot Dead In Mogadishu
28 May – Source: Mareeg.com – 117 Words
Unknown gunmen, thought to be Al-Shabaab militants, have shot and killed a member of Somalia’s parliamentary staff in Mogadishu. Mr. Omar Dalha Mohamud, an employee working at House of the People of Somalia, was gunned down by, hooded men armed with pistols in Mogadishu’s Waberi district, police said.
Another, identified as Ali Abdullahi Abdid, also got injured after the gunmen opened fire at a vehicle they were travelling with. The killers fled from crime scene. Somali security and police soldiers reached the scene of shooting and launched an operation to hunt down the culprits. So far no arrests have been made over the incident. Similarly no group has claimed responsibility for the assassination of the parliamentary staffer.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Police Arrest Three Terrorism Suspects In Nyeri
29 May – Source: Daily Nation – 496 Words
Police have arrested three terrorism suspects in Kenya’s Nyeri County and put key installations in Mt Kenya region under surveillance. Two institutions in Nyeri, one in Meru County and several roads are under 24-hour radar. Two of the suspects, according to Nyeri County criminal investigations officer Charles Mutua, were arrested in Othaya.
Detectives had been pursuing the two men on suspicion of being involved in robberies. The officers said they found the pair with communication gadgets and items associated with Al-Shabaab terrorists. “Our investigations link them to terrorism,” Mr Mutua told the Nation.
They were later handed over to the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit.
A third man was picked up from Majengo slum by military intelligence officers. He had reportedly been on the radar of the military after sneaking into the country from Somalia several months ago. At the same time, police have launched investigations following reports of a planned attack at the Kenya Medical Training College in Nyeri town during the weekend. “The report came from students who said they had been warned of the attack by a man. We cannot take such claims lightly,” Mr Mutua said.
Initial reports showed that the county hospital would also be attacked. Students and staff from the college were questioned. No arrests have been made so far. Eastern Regional police boss Moses Ombati said security agents were aware that terrorists could target Kinoru Stadium in Meru, which will host Madaraka Day celebrations.
Top security officers said they are monitoring individuals suspected of radicalising and encouraging young people to join terrorist organisations. In February, a former National Youth Service trainee from Kirinyaga was reportedly arrested while attempting to sneak into Somalia. According to police, 29-year-old Stephen Wachira Ngariko was arrested by Somali security officers alongside two Tanzanians in Dhobley.
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“Mr. Ahmed also worked with the Somaliland Government, both as a consultant and a legal advisor. His most recent posting is at his former alma mater, the University of Hargeisa, as a lecturer for just over 4 years.”
Professor Samatar Blasts Farmaajo’s Chief Justice Appointment
28 May – Source: Hiiraan Online – 822 Words
One of Somalia’s leading intellectuals Professor Abdi Ismail Samatar has blasted President Farmaajo’s decision to appoint a legal novice as Somalia’s top judge, terming it a disaster to the justice system. President Farmaajo dismissed Hassan Ibrahim Idle Suleiman, who served as the Chief Justice for two years on Sunday, replacing him with a relatively unknown and inexperienced 36-year-old lecturer, Bashe Yusuf Ahmed. The decision was made in the name of judicial reforms but has received a strong rebuke from Somalia’s legal and intellectual community.
In a Somali-language interview on Monday, Professor Abdi Ismail Samatar – who was also the head of the election commission overseeing the integrity of last year’s presidential elections, – said it was unfathomable that an individual who never sat as a judge can be appointed as the nation’s Chief Justice.
“This (Chief Justice appointment) is something that I have never heard about in my life. This man who was named as the Chief Justice never sat as a judge. How can he render legal judgements with no experience?” posed Professor Samatar. He added that “for a man who never sat as a judge to be elevated as the top justice in Somalia is a major problem for our country and if the President insists on his appointment then his credibility as a leader should be called into question.”
Furthermore, Abdi Ismail Samatar charged that the Deputy Prime Minister of Somalia and Bashe Yusuf Ahmed are maternal cousins, which leads to more nefarious speculations surrounding the controversial appointment. Professor Samatar said that to be a functioning democracy, the three arms of government must be separated. “The executive branch should be separated from the legislative branch which should be separated from the judiciary.”
Professor Samatar also said that Somalia has barely healed from the scars of the last political conflict that pitted the legislative branch and the executive branch and came within whiskers of open conflict. That protracted political tussle eventually led to the ouster of former Speaker Jawari Osman. Samatar lays blame squarely on the executive arm of government for the political crisis.
Many analysts have said that Jawari’s ouster was in direct response to fears from Villa Somalia that he was growing too powerful in the Parliament. The recent election of former Defense Minister Mohamed Mursal Sheikh Abdurahman as the new Speaker in late April was seen by many as Villa Somalia ’s consolidation of power within the legislature. Farmaajo’s latest appointment has only compounded those fears. Professor Samatar likened Farmaajo’s decision to appoint a legal novice as Somalia’s Chief Justice as someone who just obtains their Ph.D. beginning his career as the Dean of the university.