October 25, 2018 | Daily Monitoring Report.
Regional Leaders Form New Political Party And Joint Army
25 October – Source: Hiiraan Online – 206 Words
Regional state leaders have concluded their fifth meeting in Garowe with a resolve to form a new political party and a joint security army. The radical decisions are contained in an official communique availed to journalists at the end of the three-day conference.
The leaders agreed to form a political party — Hor-u-socod-Qaran or The National Progressive Party — which will unite all the four regional administrations of Puntland, Southwest, Galmudug and Jubbaland. HirShabelle pulled out of the caucus of regional states after hammering out a cooperation deal with the central government. Puntand’s regional leader, Mr. Abdiweli Gaas, was elected interim chairman of the new party.
The regional states also noted that all previous security agreements entered with the Federal Government had collapsed following the government’s failure to implement them over the last two years. And following observations, analysis and in-depth consultations on issues pertaining to the security of the regional states, the leaders accordingly agreed to form a joint security architecture that will be spearheaded by the regional states.
The interstate security council will see the establishment of joint regional forces whose main assignment will be to liberate areas under the control of Al-Shabaab militia group. Each regional administration will contribute one thousand soldiers to the joint army. The selected soldiers will, after undergoing military training, kick off military operations. A deadline of two months was given for each regional state to finalize the selections process of its soldiers.
Key Headlines
- Regional Leaders Form New Political Party And Joint Army (Hiiraan Online)
- No Operations Beyond Midnight Mogadishu Mayor Orders Restaurants In Lido Beach (Goobjoog News)
- Finance Ministry Directs Regional States To Submit Proposals For Funds From Federal Government (Halbeeg News)
- Kenyans Look For Best Way To Fight Al-Shabaab (Voice of America)
- AMISOM Holds Training Workshop On Peace And Unity For Somali Leaders From The Lower Shabelle Region (AMISOM)
- Northeastern Counties Grapple With Al-Shabaab Attacks (The Citizen)
NATIONAL MEDIA
No Operations Beyond Midnight, Mogadishu Mayor Orders Restaurants In Lido Beach
25 October – Source: Goobjoog News – 148 Words
All restaurants and hotels operating along the Lido Beach, will not be allowed to continue business beyond midnight, as ordered by Mogadishu Mayor Abdirahman Osman. The mayor explained the decision was arrived at following complaints from the public that some of the restaurants along the busy beach were engaged in ‘activities that go against Islam and Somali culture’.
“The Banadir administration is considering a number of complaints received from the community living near the beach. There are claims that individuals who patronise restaurants and hotels along the Lido Beach are engaged in activities that go against the Islamic religion, general moral conduct and the Somali culture,” said the mayor in a statement released on Thursday.
The mayor warned that involvement of girls in immoral activities in some of these hotels and restaurants would be dealt with accordingly. He ordered security agencies to enforce his order with immediate effect.
Finance Ministry Directs Regional States To Submit Proposals For Funds From Federal Government
24 October – Source: Halbeeg News – 180 Words
The Somali Ministry of Finance has directed the Federal Member States, to submit proposals for funds expected to be released by the Federal Government. In a statement, Minister for Finance Abdirahman Duale Beileh, asked the states to forward financial records and expenditures for funds released by the treasury between 1st January and 31st July, 2018.
He confirmed the second tranche of $5 million support financing was disbursed to the Federal Government: The statement says the move was part of a transparent and accountable process of the Federal Government. Over the past weeks, the Finance ministry has been engaging with regional governments in a review of the documentation. “As a result, the Finance Ministry would like to confirm it will start to disburse to the Federal Member States, which have met their transparency and accountability requirements, a sum of money allocated to them as part of the funding of the second tranche.” the statement said.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Kenyans Look For Best Way To Fight Al-Shabaab
24 October – Source: Voice of America – 484 Words
Leaders of Kenya’s northeastern counties met this week and vowed to fight against Al-Shabaab, the Somalia-based militant group that has terrorized the region since 2011. One troubling question hung over the meeting: How can that be done effectively? The five counties represented at the two-day meeting — Mandera, Garissa, Isiolo, Wajir and Marsabit — all have seen their share of deadly Al-Shabaab attacks. The worst one took place in April 2015, when militant gunmen stormed Garissa University College and killed 148 people, most of them students.
More recently, Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for attacks that killed eight security officers in Wajir County in June and two teachers in Mandera County this month. Ali Korane, the governor of Garissa County, said northeast Kenya is hugely suffering as a result of such terror attacks. “Today our schools are not functional, our roads are impassable, doctors have abandoned hospitals, and carrying out development projects is impossible, and all these are the results of the regional insecurity posed by the terrorists,” Korane said. “We have to pull out all the stops to prevent” further attacks.
The meeting in Mandera city was the first to bring together politicians, elders, villagers and officials from Kenyan security agencies to discuss insecurity and al-Shabab attacks in northeastern Kenya. Mandera County Deputy Gov. Mohamed Arai, whose county borders Somalia, called for the withdrawal of Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) soldiers from neighboring Somalia. Al-Shabaab began its attacks in Kenya after the KDF entered Somalia in 2011 to help protect the perennially shaky Somali government.
AMISOM Holds Training Workshop On Peace And Unity For Somali Leaders From The Lower Shabelle Region
24 October – Source: AMISOM – 431 Words
To end intermittent flare-ups triggered by inter-clan conflicts in Somalia, the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), has organised a capacity building workshop to enhance peace and unity through community engagement. The workshop also focused on conflict resolution for leaders in the grassroots, in the Lower Shabelle region, one of the areas adversely impacted by such conflicts.
District administrators, religious leaders, traditional elders and representatives of women and youth groups from Marka (el Jaale, Shalambot), Aw Dhegely/KM50 and Afgoye districts were among the workshop participants. The three-day gathering held in the capital Mogadishu was facilitated by AMISOM’s Political Affairs Unit and funded by Danish government.
“We are passing over responsibilities that we have been handling to the people of Somalia,” Mr. Simon Mulongo, the Deputy Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (DSRCC) for Somalia, remarked in his address to the participants today. He urged them to find amicably ways to resolve their differences. “We expect you to use the skills and knowledge acquired here, to promote peace,” he said, while also challenging them to focus on the delivery of essential social services such as health, education, emergency humanitarian response and infrastructure development.
AMISOM’s Senior Political Affairs Officer, Mr. Hajji Ssebirumbi Kisinziggo, noted that the training workshop was also organised to support ongoing efforts in Marka (el Jaale, Shalambot), Aw Dhegely/KM50, by the Sector 1 Civil-Military Coordination (CIMIC) unit, to end clan differences through dialogue. “We are expanding in terms of building capacity and we shall also emphasize dialogue and reconciliation, as we work towards the transitioning of responsibilities to the Somali security forces,” Mr. Ssebirumbi said.
OPINION, ANALYSIS & CULTURE
“The militants tend to attack schools, the army and police, whose employees are often not from northeastern Kenya. If locals knew they’d have to pay the families of terrorism victims, they might be more willing to cooperate with police, according to proponents of this idea.”
Northeastern Counties Grapple With Al-Shabaab Attacks
25 October – Source: The Citizen – 487 Words
Leaders of Kenya’s northeastern counties have vowed to fight against al Shabaab, the Somalia-based militant group that has terrorised the region for the past seven years. One troubling question hung over the meeting: How can that be done effectively? The five counties represented at the two-day meeting — Mandera, Garissa, Isiolo, Wajir and Marsabit — all have seen their share of deadly al Shabaab attacks.
The worst one took place in April 2015, when militant gunmen stormed Garissa University College and killed 148 people, most of them students. More recently, al Shabaab claimed responsibility for attacks that killed eight security officers in Wajir County in June and two teachers in Mandera County this month.
Ali Korane, the governor of Garissa County, said northeast Kenya is hugely suffering as a result of such terror attacks. “Today our schools are not functional, our roads are impassable, doctors have abandoned hospitals, and carrying out development projects is impossible, and all these are the results of the regional insecurity posed by the terrorists,” Korane said. “We have to pull out all the stops to prevent” further attacks.
The meeting in Mandera city was the first to bring together politicians, elders, villagers and officials from Kenyan security agencies to discuss insecurity and al-Shabaab attacks in northeastern Kenya. Mandera County Deputy Gov. Mohamed Arai, whose county borders Somalia, called for the withdrawal of Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers from neighbouring Somalia.
Al-Shabaab began its attacks in Kenya after the KDF entered Somalia in 2011 to help protect the perennially shaky Somali government.“Everyone knows where we were security-wise before Kenyan troops crossed the border into Somalia in 2011 and where we are now,” Arai said. “If we are people of Mandera, we have no interest in KDF presence in Somalia. They should withdraw, come along our border and protect us.”
TOP TWEETS
@AAbdishakur: Seems that Federal Member States have decided to establish a parallel authority to deny the authority of Federal Government & challenge its attempt to decentralize the country. We have no choice but 2 negotiate a compromise, or else the alternative is a total breakdown of order.
@IOM_Somalia: Mirkka Henttonen, LHD coordinator with @iomsomalia: “IOM keeps engaging with diaspora in Somalia since 2008. Diaspora members are increasingly showing interest to support the sustainable development of Somalia”.@MogTechSummit @UNDPSomalia.
@Halbeeg_News: Somali government cancels licences of Somali flagged ships and boats https://en.halbeeg.com/2018/
@Goobjoognews: #BREAKING: #Somali federal member states to form own military unit through integration of para-military units (darawish) to ‘liberate and stabilize territories’, further widening rift with Federal Govt.
@DSeanPaterson: Today in #Mogadishu the #YES programme was pleased to meet with @Afaafaale Minister of Labour#Galmudug . YES Phase II technical and capacity building assistance must prioritize regional states like Galmudug. Improving government service delivery must anchor Phase II planning.
@Goobjoognews: Minister Beyle demand the State Governments to submit their prior financial statement and their new demand.” http://goobjoog.com/english/
@IlwadElman: What an amazing evening. So grateful 4the Mayor of #Mogadishu @engyarisow who came out 2support an event lead by #Somali youth campaigning on#ChildrenNotSoldiers thanks to the incredible District Commissioner of #Waberi for hosting us & also supporting local youth!
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Deputy Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (DSRCC) for Somalia, Simon Mulongo addresses residents and leaders of Lower Shabelle Region during a seminar on conflict resolution and reconciliation mechanisms held in Mogadishu.
Photo: AMISOM