December 11, 2018 | Morning Headlines
Somalia In Crisis As President Faces Impeachment Motion
10 December – Source: Daily Mail – 344 Words
Somalia was plunged into fresh political problems on Monday after a motion to impeach President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed for alleged abuse of office cleared a key hurdle. Parliament speaker Mohamed Mursal agreed late Sunday to accept the motion, signed by 92 out of 275 legislators.
The document accuses the president, commonly known as Farmajo, of violating the constitution “by engaging (in a) secret memorandum of understanding with foreign countries.” It specifies control over Somalia’s ports “and uniting the country with Ethiopia and Eritrea.” The motion was filed a month after Farmajo met Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki for talks on cementing economic ties between their once-rival nations.
The tri-nation diplomatic breakthrough was made possibly by a rapprochement between Ethiopia and Eritrea, engineered by Abiy. The impeachment motion will succeed if its sponsors muster support from at least two-thirds of the 275 legislators in the federal parliament.
Observers say the target will be hard to reach, given the entrenched factionalism of Somali politics. A date for the vote has yet to be set.
The two deputy speakers held a press conference to distance themselves from involvement in the impeachment motion. “The speaker rushed to receive this document, which gives us the feeling that he was angry with something,” said the first deputy speaker, Abdiweli Ibrahim Mudey. “We want to inform the public that our friend Mohamed Mursal will take responsibility for any consequences.”
Mudey added that, under the constitution, any impeachment motion should be scrutinised by a Constitutional Court, but the long-troubled country does not currently have such a tribunal. Farmajo was elected by parliament in February 2017 in a vote seen as a major step forward for a country devastated by years of civil war.
Political life has been relatively calm since then, punctuated by a spell of turmoil earlier this year when Speaker Mursal’s predecessor, Mohamed Jawari, quit in a power struggle with the government.Outside politics, regional conflict still grips the north of the country and al-Qaeda-affiliated jihadists are pursuing a bloody campaign to overthrow the government.
Key Headlines
- Somalia In Crisis As President Faces Impeachment Motion (Daily Mail)
- Al-Shabaab Forces Degraded By U.S. Federal Government Of Somalia (SONNA)
- President Farmaajo Receives Credentials From Turkey’s New Ambassador (Halbeeg News)
- UPDF Soldiers Awarded AU Medals (New Vision)
- Victims Lucky To Be Alive After Explosive Attack In Lamu East (The Star)
- Faces of Africa: Lessons From My Heritage (CTGN)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Al-Shabaab Forces Degraded By U.S., Federal Government Of Somalia
10 December – Source: SONNA – 210 Words
To support the Federal Government of Somalia’s continued efforts to degrade Al-Shabaab, U.S. forces conducted a collective self-defense airstrikes, targeting Al-Shabaab militants in the vicinity of Basra, Somalia on December 08, 2018. The U.S. airstrike was conducted against militants after partner forces came under attack. We currently assess this airstrike killed four (4) militants with no civilians involved.
Alongside our Somali and international partners, we are committed in preventing Al-Shabaab from taking advantage of safe havens from which, they can build capacity and attack the people of Somalia. In particular, the group uses portions of southern and central Somalia to plot and direct terror attacks, steal humanitarian aid, extort the local populace to fund its operations, and shelter radical terrorists.
The end goal for East Africa is to get rid of terrorist organizations that cannot destabilize Somalia and its neighboring states. U.S. Africa Command will continue to work with its partners to transfer the responsibility for long-term security in Somalia from the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) to the Federal Government of Somalia. U.S. forces will use all effective and appropriate methods to protect the Somali people, including partnered with military counter-terror operations with the Federal Government of Somalia, AMISOM and Somali National Army forces.
President Farmaajo Receives Credentials From Turkey’s New Ambassador
10 December – Source: Halbeeg News – 165 Words
Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo met today with the new Turkish Ambassador to Mogadishu. Ambassador Mehmet Yilmaz presented his credentials to President Farmaajo at the presidential palace. The president praised the newly appointed ambassador and hoped that he would strengthen the relations between Somalia and Turkey.
“President Mohamed Farmaajo receives credentials from the new Turkish Ambassador to Somalia, Mehmet Yılmaz. Turkey is a valuable ally and a close friend,” Villa Somalia said in a Twitter post. The new envoy has replaced former Ambassador Oglan Bekar, whose diplomatic services ended last month.
Somalia and Turkey enjoy very close strong diplomatic, economic and defence relations since the high profile visit President Rajab Tayyip Erdogan on August 2011. Since then Ankara plays a crucial role in infrastructural development as well as the rebuilding of Somalia’s armed forces. It opened a military academy in Mogadishu a year ago to train and equip Somali military. Its international cooperation agency, TIKA is also involved in rebuilding country and providing humanitarian services.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
UPDF Soldiers Awarded AU Medals
10 December – Source: New Vision – 540 Words
Uganda Battle Group XXIII (UGBG XXIII) has been awarded medals and certificates for their distinguished contribution towards peace in war-torn Somalia. The awarding ceremony followed UGBG XXIII’s end of one year tour of duty in Somalia that started on January 1, 2018, under the command of Col. Eliazari Zake Okolong. The awards were given out at a colorful ceremony organised at the Uganda Contingent Headquarters in Mogadishu-Somalia, a statement from the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) deputy spokesperson, Lt. Col. Deo Akiiki, said.
The Chief Guest, Uganda’s Deputy Ambassador to Somalia, Maj. Gen. Nathan Mugisha congratulated UGBG XXIII for a job well done in degrading Al-Shabaab, maintaining peace and stability through securing Main Supply Routes, Protection of civilians and neutralizing Al-Shabaab amidst numerous challenges. Mugisha thanked UGBG XXIII for the resilience and determination exhibited in the mission. “You have maintained the good image of UPDF by giving a “bloody nose” to Al-Shabaab when it attacked your defence in Bulomareer,” noted Mugisha.
He also urged the incoming UGBG XXVI that is to relieve UGBG XXIII to work harder, maintain resilience and vigilance just like their colleagues in UGBG XXIII. Mugisha extended his utmost appreciation to the UPDF, United Nation Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS), and African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) leaderships for the logistics which have enabled the troops to execute their tasks professionally and diligently. Maj. Gen. Maurice Gateretse, the Deputy Force Commander in charge of Support and Logistics, who represented the AMISOM Force Commander, Lt. Gen. Jim Oweyesigyire, thanked UGBG XXIII troops for exhibiting high level expertise and good discipline during their one year stay in Somalia. “AMISOM is showing appreciation to the gallant UPDF soldiers for all the success registered during the mission. I appreciate those gallant comrades that have paid the ultimate price to see our brothers and sisters in Somalia enjoy peace and stability,” said Gateretse.
Victims Lucky To Be Alive After Explosive Attack In Lamu East
10 December – Source: The Star – 750 Words
Survivors of an IED attack at Lamu’s Sankuri area along the Hindi-Kiunga road have narrated their near-death ordeal in an incident suspected to have been the handiwork of Al shabab militants. The three,Aden Farah who was the driver of the ill fated lorry, his co-driver Issa Abubakar and Ahmed the conductor Ahmed Khalif are currently admitted at the Lamu King Fahd hospital where they are receiving treatment for injuries sustained from the attack.
The three were part of a motorcade of lorries that were ferrying merchandise from the Mokowe depot in Lamu West and were on their way to their destination at the Usalama camp in Kiunga,Lamu East where the Lamu-Somalia border wall is being put up when their lorry ran over the IED injuring all three occupants. The camp is about 300 kilometers from Mokowe. The driver,Farah says having set out at about 6am,they had covered most of their journey, about 200 kilometres in three hours when the vehicle encountered the incident at around 8am.
Having used the road frequently,Farah said nothing gave away any clues of a possible IED on the road. “The road appeared normal to me. Infact I was driving slowly as I waited for the lorry behind us to catch up.There was nothing off apart from the usual lonesomeness since vehicles rarely ply the road. I have used this road for years but nothing of this sort has ever happened.”said Farah. Farah says he remembers hearing a loud explosion followed by the detachment of the front part of the lorry’s bonnet which flew into the air before the three were thrown out of the still moving lorry.
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“The horn of Africa is believed to be the location of the fabled land of Punt as was recorded in ancient Egyptian texts. Also known as the land of the gods or the land of plenty, Punt had deep trade ties with Egypt dating back 2000 years or earlier, and was rich in resources such as gold, ebony, ivory, spices, incense and trees, treasures cherished by the Egyptian Pharaohs.”
Faces of Africa: Lessons From My Heritage
09 December – Source: CTGN – 459 Words
Hargeisa, the capital city of the self declared state of Somaliland, is Sada Mire’s home away from home. Sada lives and works in the Netherlands. A professor of Archaeology at the University of Leiden, during the holidays, she returns to Somaliland to extend the research works she started many years ago. While in high school in Sweden, she began to be confronted with issues of personal identity, and understanding her historical roots and heritage.
Just an hours drive north of Hargeisa, Aw-Barkhadle is one of the first heritage sites where Sada begun her Archaeological work. This remarkable site hosts the ruins of an ancient city and an Islamic shrine, that sheds light on the ancient history of the region. The horn of Africa is believed to be the location of the fabled land of Punt as was recorded in ancient Egyptian texts.
Also known as the land of the gods or the land of plenty, Punt had deep trade ties with Egypt dating back 2000 years or earlier, and was rich in resources such as gold, ebony, ivory, spices, incense and trees, treasures cherished by the Egyptian Pharaohs. When the civil war broke out in Somalia in 1991, 15-year-old Sada and her family had to flee the country for Sweden as refugees.
Sada and her archaeological team are on the road again. This time Sada will be travelling to Dhaymoole, about 200 km northeast of Hargeisa. On this trip she is accompanied by 3 scholars of Astro Archaeology. They are taking this trip to try and discover how archaeology, can reveal the level of knowledge about the galaxy and universe of the ancient cultures in the region.
The Dhaymoole heritage site is about 8 kilometers away, and the team accompanying Sada comprised of Ahmed, Abshir and Aden, have to walk all the way. The Astro Archaeology team are experts in folklore based on ancient astrology of the region. After about an hour of trekking, Sada and team arrive at the mysterious caves of Dhaymoole, believed to be about 3000-5000 years old.
In the 15th century, an explorer from China’s Ming dynasty, Zheng He commanded seven naval expeditions through the Indian ocean. During his 4th and 5th voyages, Zheng He’s fleet visited towns along the east coast of Africa of what are now Somalia and Kenya. Inspired by the visit, envoys of the region would pay homage to the Chinese Emperor, presenting treasures including an African Giraffe, which caused a huge sensation in China. To the east of Hargeisa, the region of Laas Geel hosts some of the most amazing ancient works of African art ever to be discovered. The Laas Geel site has a series of about 18 caves, with each having unique stories depicted in form of rock art.
ADDITIONAL SOMALIA NEWS WILL APPEAR IN THE AFTERNOON REPORT
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