November 9, 2018 | Morning Headlines
Car Bomb Explosion In Mogadishu Kills Hirshabelle Lawmaker
08 November – Source: Halbeeg News – 100 Words
A lawmaker from Hirshabelle regional assembly has been killed in a car bomb explosion in Mogadishu city. The bomb was conveniently fitted under the car of the lawmaker, identified as Abdiweli Mohamed Ibrahim. The bomb exploded at the London Gate Restaurant in Hamarweyne district on Thursday.
Reports indicate that two other people, including one who was in the car, and a worker at the restaurant, sustained injuries during the blast. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack, although the Al-Shabaab militia group is often believed to be behind such attacks targeting lawmakers, security forces and government officials.
Key Headlines
- Car Bomb Explosion In Mogadishu Kills Hirshabelle Lawmaker (Halbeeg News)
- Stop Meddling In South West Polls Civil Society Professionals Warn (Goobjoog News)
- I’ve Resigned After South West MPs Were Compromised In Mogadishu – Sharif Hassan (Kismaayo.com)
- Farmers In Baardheere Of Gedo Region Complain Of Farm Insect Diseases (Goobjoog News)
- 124 Somali Migrants Repatriated From Libya (Libya Express )
- Balance Of Power Between Federal And State Governments Of Somalia (Hiiraan Online)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Stop Meddling In South West Polls, Civil Society, Professionals Warn
08 November – Source: Goobjoog News – 215 Words
A group of professionals and civil society leaders from South West state have called for an end to interference in the presidential elections pointing accusing fingers at the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), against the backdrop of President Sharif Adan’s withdrawal from the race..
In a joint statement, the two groups comprising of 24 individuals said they were concerned by developments in Baidoa noting failure to address them and allow for a free and fair elections, could result in instability in the region: “We have received reports that the FGS is applying manipulative methods to seek change and influence the outcome of the presidential poll, rather than strengthen a fair and democratic process with transparency, integrity and fairness.”
The group further accused the FGS of ‘the unconstitutional interference and “overshadowing people’s choices by depriving them of their constitutional rights to express their free political will in their own accord”. Their remarks follow the resignation of the Adan on Wednesday as President of South West state and that of the electoral coordinating committee on Monday. Acknowledging there was need for change in South West, the group said such must be realized through peaceful and a fair democratic process. Their terse statement copied to among others President Mohamed Farmaajo, African Union and United Nations envoys in Somalia.
I’ve Resigned After South West MPs Were Compromised In Mogadishu – Sharif Hassan
08 November – Source: Kismaayo.com – 193 Words
Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan, who stepped down as South West’s President on Wednesday evening, has explained why he resigned from office and pulled out of the elections: “I decided to tender my resignation after I discovered that most of the members of the South West regional assembly had been compromised in Mogadishu by the Federal Government of Somalia.”.
The outgoing President lashed out at members of the state’s regional assembly for being compromised. He further accused the Mogadishu-based central government of inviting nearly all the MPs of the state in Mogadishu to convince them to vote against him. He pointed out that the central government ought to be impartial in its approach of the regional elections.
The political future of Sharif Hassan, who until his resignation was the chairperson of the country’s regional states, the Council of Inter-state Cooperation (CIC), is not yet clear. However, it will not be astonishing to see him retake his seat in the Federal Parliament, which is now occupied by his son. Speaker Sharif Shekhuna Maye, who is now acting leader of the South West state, is supposed to re-constitute an electoral coordination committee that will oversee the forthcoming poll.
Farmers In Baardheere Of Gedo Region Complain Of Farm Insect Diseases
08 November – Source: Goobjoog News – 167 Words
Farmers in Baardheere district of Gedo region are complaining of damage to their farms caused by pests and diseases. Mohamed Abdirahman Matow, the deputy chairman of the farmers in Baardheere, told Goobjoog they needed help to fight the pests menace in order to improve productivity on their farms.
Mr Matow noted that it is the production season and they needed to take advantage of the rain.
Pests and diseases greatly affect crop productivity as well as the conservation and storage of crop products The farmers are now calling on authorities in the regional state of Jubbaland and all agricultural agencies to help them and provide all the necessary advice and equipment to fight the pest on their farms
Since 1991 the civil war broke out in Somalia there is not been a national agricultural research institute the country. Links to agricultural research organizations outside in the country are accordingly weak and consequently farmers across the country have very limited access to modern farming technology and disease control remedies
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
124 Somali Migrants Repatriated From Libya
08 November – Source: Libya Express – 101 Words
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Wednesday that 124 illegal Somali immigrants were voluntarily repatriated from Libya’s capital Tripoli. The repatriation took place as clashes erupted near Tripoli’s Mitiga International Airport, the IOM said in a statement.
“Late last night, clashes erupted briefly around Mitiga airport, where our team was working to finalize procedures for 124 Somali migrants wishing to return home to Somalia,” the statement said. Somali Ambassador to Libya Ali Said Faqi expressed gratitude for the unwavering support Somalia has received from the IOM and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Libya to make the return possible.
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“Some political activists are trying to frame mistakenly or dishonestly the dispute between the FG and the FMS as insubordination of the FMS to the supreme authority of the FG. In reality, the dispute highlights the fundamental principles of power-sharing, stakeholder, and balance of power between the FG and FMS in accordance with the provisional Constitution.”
Balance Of Power Between Federal And State Governments Of Somalia
07 November – Source: Hiiraan Online – 1045 Words
My purpose in this article is to illustrate the balance of power or the collaborative relationship between the Federal Government (FG) and Federal Member States (FMS) of the Federal Republic of Somalia (FRS) on the basis of the Provisional Constitution (PC) adopted in August 2012 and in consideration of the international engagement. The concerns about the imperfections and ambiguity of the PC and about the wrangled formation of the FMS have been strenuously addressed in the past.
The framework established for settling the disputed and deferred constitutional issues rests on negotiations and agreements between the FG and FMS before parliamentary approval and popular referendum or Constituent Assembly. Amid the process of constitutional review, the elected leaders have the moral responsibility of not making bad situation worse. Thus, the President of the FRS Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo and the Prime Minister of the FG Hassan Kheire should be guided objectively and honestly by the imperfect and complex PC and by good governance principles. The formation of the Somali State is work in progress.
The oversight and accountability role of the Federal Parliament has been eliminated after forcing the resignation of Speaker Mohamed Sheikh Osman Jawari and paving the way for the election of an ally Speaker Mohamed Mursal Abdirahman. Prime Minister Hassan Kheire has become the Inspector for accountability.
Now, the relation between the FGS and FMS is in impasse after the Council of Inter-State Cooperation (CIC) of FMS accused President Farmajo and the FG of incompetence, broken promises, political interferences, misguided foreign policy, and other transgressions in their Kismayo Communiqué on September 8, 2018. The FMS asked for dialogue with the President and the FG on condition that third party is present.
In reaction, the office of the President issued press release inviting the leaders of the FMS to meet with the President in Mogadishu with no third party presence. Prime Minister Hassan Kheire ruled out the presence or mediation of third party, particularly international partners. It is worth noting that the International Partners have Partnership Agreements with FG and FMS on politics, security, justice, economy, humanitarian, and social services.