October 22, 2018 | Morning Headlines

Somali Government Repeats Its Call For A Meeting To End Political Crisis

21 October – Source: Halbeeg News – 202 Words

The Somali government has reiterated its call for National Security Council meeting to end the standoff between the federal government, and its member states barely a month after its first call was snubbed, by regional state leaders. In a statement that coincides with the fourth forum of federal member states leaders, the Somali Interior Ministry sent out invitations to regional state presidents to attend the National Security Council meeting in Mogadishu.

With no specific date, the ministry said the federal government was still ready to hold the conference on security, the war on terror and inclusive political process. The statement underscored that the government was willing to find a solution to the country’s challenges,  through a framework of consultations, compromises, and protection of the common interest of institutions at all levels.

The call comes hours after the leaders of Puntland, Jubbaland, Southwest and Galmudug convened in Garowe  for the fourth forum,  to discuss what they termed as the interests of the regional states. On 17th of last month, the same day the Council for Inter-Governmental Cooperation (CIC) suspended ties with the federal government, President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo directed the state leaders to meet in the capital, to discuss the future of country.

 

Key Headlines

• Somali Government Repeats Its Call For A Meeting To End Political Crisis (Halbeeg News)
• Inter-State Council Conference Kicks Off In Garowe (Garowe Online)
• Southwest Assembly Speaker Forms The State’s Electoral Body (Halbeeg News)
• Senior Somali Police Officers Benefit From A Strategic Planning And Management Course (AMISOM)
• Porous Kenya-Somalia Border Locals Facilitate Shabaab Attacks (Daily Nation)

NATIONAL MEDIA

Inter-State Council Conference Kicks Off In Garowe

21 October – Source: Garowe Online – 195 Words

The fourth forum of the council of Inter-State Cooperation [CIC] has officially kicked off on Sunday in Garowe, the capital of Puntland of Somalia. The CIC conference which brings together the leaders of Puntland, Galmudug, Southwest, and Jubbaland is set to focus on the interests of the regional states, current political deadlock, 2020 election, and security.

This is the first time that Garowe is hosting the regional bloc’s meeting since its inception in 2017 in Kismayo, the interim administrative capital of Jubbaland. Last month, the leaders of Somali regional states suspend its ties with the central government, citing a lack of political and security progress.

The CIC criticized the central government for failing in the fight against Al-Shabaab, saying there was no proper coordination. HirShabelle leader, Mohamed Abdi Waare abandoned his counterparts  and reached a deal with Villa Somalia, saying he changed his mind for the sake of his region’s interest. As the political deadlock in the country continues to spin out of control and with no end in sight, the Senate has stepped in to mediate between the two sides, stating that the Federal Government of Somalia is dragging its feet in talks with CIC.

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Southwest Assembly Speaker Forms The State’s Electoral Body

21 October – Source: Halbeeg News –  90 Words

Southwest Regional Assembly Speaker Abdikadir Sharif Shekhuna Maye has formed the state’s presidential electoral committee ahead of next month elections. In a statement, Mr. Maye announced a list of 27 individuals who will spearhead the state’s electoral commission, to preside over the presidential elections currently scheduled for the 17th of November.

Several presidential candidates are vying for the upcoming presidential elections, among them former NISA chief, Hussein Osman Hussein and Ex-Shabaab deputy leader, Mukhtar Robow. The incumbent President Sharif Hassan Sheikh remains one of the potential candidates.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Senior Somali Police Officers Benefit From A Strategic Planning And Management Course

21 October – Source: AMISOM – 386 Words

As part of efforts to implement institutional reforms, the Somali Police Force (SPF) has trained 28 senior-level officers, on Strategic Planning and Management. Facilitated by the police component of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), the UN and local experts, the course, the first of its kind for the force, is part of the organizational and culture change activities, being undertaken within the institution, to improve efficiency and performance, among top-level officers.

The officials, most of whom head various directorates and units within the force, will use skills acquired to implement desired change. “With this training, the officers acquired skills, knowledge and attitudes, that are necessary for them to be able to rise to the occasion and professionally carry out their duties in accordance with the expectations of the Somali population, with due diligence to and observance of human rights,” said Christine Alalo, the Acting AMISOM Police Commissioner, at the conclusion of the ten-day course, in Mogadishu today.

As a leadership tool, strategic management can be instrumental in fostering a culture of excellence and enhancing professionalism in a workforce, and in turn, maximize performance and output.  AMISOM hopes, that the training will improve the interfacing and collaboration between various departments of the Somali Police Force. “We have learnt vital leadership skills that we didn’t know before. This training is a must for every senior officer,” said Lt. Col.

OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE

“Since 2014, Al-Shabaab has carried out raids on residential areas in Mandera Town, killing people, mostly of non-Somalis. On July 7, 2015, the militants killed 14 quarry workers at a residential plot in the town.”

Porous Kenya-Somalia Border, Locals Facilitate Shabaab Attacks

21 October – Source: Daily Nation – 1012  Words

Seven years since Kenyan troops entered Somalia to combat Al-Shabaab militants, Mandera Town is yet to enjoy peace. On several occasions, the militants have crossed into Mandera at will, attacked, maimed, killed and crossed back into Somalia undetected. Government administrators on the ground blame the porous Kenya-Somalia border and unwillingness of locals to share information. But the local community accuses government officials of corruption, leading to persistent attacks.

“As government, we are doing our best to secure Mandera, including posting more security teams to different parts to respond to such incidents. We are heading somewhere,” Mr Erick Oronyi, Mandera Deputy County Commissioner, said. Setting up of military and police camps along the Kenya-Somalia border has reduced terror incidents in the county, he said.

“We have security camps in areas that never used to have them. This has closed the loopholes, helping in reducing the incidents,” he said. High radicalisation of people across the county, especially the youth, is also to blame for the attacks, said the government official. “We have cases of local youth joining terror cells. This is proving a challenge but we are up to the task,” Mr Oronyi said.

According to him, the latest attack at Arabia Boys Secondary School on October 9, 2018 had a local hand in it. “A local was involved in providing information about the school and where the targets reside in the compound, leading to two deaths,” he said. Two non local teachers were killed in the night attack while two others escaped narrowly. “Students reported to the school administration that things would not be usual that fateful night and a meeting of all prefects was called. I don’t know what was discussed. Then that night we were attacked,” Mr Elijah Nderitu, a survivor, told Sunday Nation.

Mr Abdiaziz Abdullahi, a local, said it is difficult to identify a Shabaab member or sympathiser. “We are all the same but with different missions and intentions, making it difficult to know who is Al-Shabaab and who is not,” he said. Mr Abdullahi added that locals fear sharing information with security officers in Mandera in case their identities are disclosed to the militants.

“After the police arrest suspects, they usually reveal the informant’s identity, putting many lives in danger,” he said claimed. “The police are dishonesty in this fight and locals are keeping off,” he said. Mr Abdullahi added that locals are well-paid by Shabaab to provide information on security operations in the county. “There are intelligence people even among the security officers that inform the enemy of traps and operations,” he said.

Women are mostly used by the terrorist organisation to gather information. “It is very difficult to suspect a woman of such missions, but the truth comes to light after an attack,” Ms Fatuma Adan, a businesswoman in the town, said. On December 7, 2015, the body of Ms Isnina Mohamed, a tea vendor in Mandera, was found in a shallow grave. The government accused her of being a cook for Al-Shabaab, but denied killing her. A victim of a terror incident in Mandera said he sustained injuries in a retaliatory attack after he shared information with the government.