April 10, 2018 | Daily Monitoring Report
HirShabelle In Crisis As MPs Plot To Oust President Ware
09 April – Source: Radio Dalsan – 280 Words
A fresh political stalemate has emerged in HirShabelle State, pitting President Mohamed Abdi Ware against the Speaker of the regional Parliament Osman Bare Mohamed. The regional Parliament is now sharply divided into two rival groups of Pro Ware and Pro Mohamed MPs. According to sources, rival MPs are preparing a motion of no confidence against Speaker Mohamed and President Ware. “45 MPs have presented their signatures against the Speaker while, 52 signatures for the motion against the President is collected, former Spokesman of Hirshabelle government Mr. Mohamed Shiine said.
To oust the President or Speaker the threshold required is 66, and the total number of MPs are 99. Deputy President is backing the ousting of the President Ware, while the First Deputy Speaker, is backing the President. Sources told reporters, that Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire met with Speaker Mohamed. The Speaker is said to have asked for backing from the Premier on the ousting of President Ware, to ensure legitimacy of a new government in case the motion passes through.
Pro Speaker MPs accuse President Ware of not meeting his pledges including appointments. According to MP Mohamed Bashir Daqare, the Speaker is accused of misconduct and absenteeism, and lack of commitment and dedication of his duties. “The Speaker has been frequently traveling out of the region when sessions are going on” Mr. Daqare said. President Ware, is in Beledweyne to resolve an administrational conflict in Hiiraan region. Mohamed Abdi Ware is in his seventh month as he was elected back in September 2017, after voting by regional MPs. He is first leader after former President Abdullahi Ali Osoble was voted out barely 11 months into office in a no confidence vote.
Key Headlines
- Hirshabelle In Crisis As Mps Plot To Oust President Ware (Radio Dalsan)
- Kenyan Gunships Hit Al-Shabaab Base in Fahfahdun Locality in Gedo (Halbeeg News)
- Several Candidates Declare Interest In Parliament’s Top Seat (Jowhar.com)
- UK Minister Lauds AMISOM For Its Role In Securing Somalia (AMISOM)
- Somaliland Elders Approve ‘Historic’ Law Criminalising Rape (Thomson Reuters Foundation)
- Moscow May Recognize Breakaway Somaliland Republic To Open A Base There (Euro Asia Review)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Kenyan Gunships Hit Al-Shabaab Base in Fahfahdun Locality in Gedo
10 April – Source: Halbeeg News – 216 Words
Kenyan Warplanes have bombed Al-Shabaab training camp in Fahfahdun village of Gedo region, ahead of joint offensive against the group. Mr. Osman Abdi Farey, Jubbaland security official said, gunships of Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) targeted the camp, which the group was planning to hold graduation event following conclusion of training Al-Shabaab fighters. “We knew the plan of Al-Shabaab and our Kenyan counterpart raided the camp near Fahfahdun village yesterday evening, though we do not have the exact figure, but several fighters were killed in the attack,” Mr. Farey said.
He noted that Joint forces of Jubbaland and AMISOM were planning to carry out operations to flush out Al-Shabaab fighters from the region. “Our forces in collaboration with AMISOM particularly, Kenyan forces will soon launch major offensives against Al-Shabaab in Gedo region,” he affirmed.
The Kenyan defence force are specifically operating in Lower Jubba and Gedo regions where they engaged in deadly fighting with Al-Shabaab fighters. Since Kenya sent its troops to Somalia, Al-Shabaab fighters attacked Kenyan forces, and its citizens inside the neighbouring country. Al-Shabab had attacked KDF Forward Operating Bases in El-Adde and Kulbiyow of Gedo region in 2016 and 2017 respectively. Despite the claims by Al-Shabaab, the government of Kenya did not publicly announce the casualty figure of the two attacks on its bases.
Several Candidates Declare Interest In Parliament’s Top Seat
10 April – Source: Jowhar.com – 199 Words
Barely a day after outgoing Speaker Mohamed Osman Jawari confirmed his resignation from the speakership position, political groups in the capital have begun campaigns to back various candidates for the vacant seat. Various campaign meetings were reported to have taken place in some of the hotels in the capital since the emergence of Jawari’s resignation.
While candidates have not yet publicly declared their candidacy, a number of MPs from Southwest have already shown their interest in the position. They include Mr. Mohamud Maalim Yahya, Mr. Ibrahim Isaq Yarrow who is a Deputy Minister and Mr. Mohamed Mursal Sheikh Ibrahim, Defence Minister among others. Some of these candidates including Minister of Defense, Mohamed Mursal reportedly have the backing of Villa Somalia. The Lower House of Parliament is required to elect a new Speaker in two weeks.
Southwest President, Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden, who has allegedly played a notable role in the ousting of Speaker Jawari, is also said to be backing several aspirants for the speakership position. The election campaigns are expected to gain momentum in the coming days. MPs supporting the motion of no-confidence against Speaker Jawari allegedly split into several groups after they couldn’t agree to front one candidate for the position.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
UK Minister Lauds AMISOM For Its Role In Securing Somalia
10 April – Source: AMISOM – 432 Words
A visiting UK Minister of State for the Armed Forces Rt. Hon. Mark Lancaster has paid tribute to the AU troops in Somalia for securing the country and reducing the threat of terrorism. The minister yesterday met with the AU Special Representative to Somalia, Ambassador Francisco Caetano Madeira and the AMISOM Force Commander Lt. Gen. Jim Beesigye Owoyesigire, where they discussed the transitioning of security responsibilities from AMISOM to the Somali security forces, and the nature and volume of UK support to the AU Mission.
“I have just met with Ambassador Madeira and the Force Commander. I want to start by paying tribute to the work of AMISOM over the last eleven years and indeed the sacrifices that have been made, because without doubt, unless the good work of AMISOM over the last eleven years had happened, then Somalia would not be on the course of progress that it is today,” Mr. Lancaster said.
The United Kingdom Mission Support Team (UKMST), under the UK7O project has enhanced capacity building and other support to AMISOM troops and the Somali security forces in Mogadishu and the regions, to boost the war against Al-Shabaab. “We have discussed how potentially we can do more to support the Mission, but equally talking about how we can progress the situation here in Somalia, over the coming months and years,” added the UK minister.
Somaliland Elders Approve ‘Historic’ Law Criminalising Rape
09 April – Source: Thomson Reuters Foundation – 369 Words
Rapists in Somaliland face up to 20 years in jail after the break-away conservative Islamic region passed its first law against rape in a drive to combat gender violence, a senior official said on Monday. The bill, which passed parliament’s upper house on Saturday, also criminalises other forms of gender violence such as forced marriage, trafficking for sexual slavery and sexual harassment.
Ayan Mahamoud, Somaliland’s representative in Britain, said the draft law had been awaiting parliamentary approval for years – and that President Musa Bihi Abdi’s government, which was elected in November, saw curbing sex crimes as a priority. “This really is a historic law for Somaliland. For the first time potential rapists will be scared that they will be punished and end up in jail for years,” Mahamoud told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone from London. “It also means that survivors can get at last seek redressal and have access to justice, instead of being forced to marry their rapists to save the so-called family honour.”
The bill was passed by the lower house in January. Mahamoud said it was expected to be signed into law by Abdi in the coming weeks. Until now rape was not defined as a crime in Somaliland, a self-declared republic in the Horn of Africa. That meant perpetrators faced no penalty. Victims’ families were instead paid off or the victim was forced to marry her rapist to avoid public shame.
OPINION, ANALYSIS & CULTURE
“Moscow, however, has shown itself more than willing to violate the international rules of the game; and consequently, it may be quite prepared to shake things up by taking this step, especially as that likely would allow Russia to claim a military presence there without having to spend money it does not now have.”
Moscow May Recognize Breakaway Somaliland Republic To Open A Base There
09 April – Source: Euro Asia Review – 354 Words
Russia hopes to open a 1500-man naval base in the breakaway republic of Somaliland in the horn of Africa, a region where numerous countries have done so in recent years because of its strategic location. But in exchange, Africa sources say, the Somaliland leadership expects Russia to recognize its independence from Somalia.
If that happens, Moscow, which under Vladimir Putin has recognized two breakaway republics on the territory of the former Soviet space and promoted secessionist movements in Europe and the United States, would send a powerful signal that it is now prepared to get involved with secessionist groups in Africa, which are both numerous and troublesome.
And that more than the extent to which such a base would challenge other countries including the United States and China which have military facilities in the horn could open the way to even greater Russian adventurism, especially coming on the heels of Russian intervention in the Central African Republic.
According to reports in the Moscow media this week, Russian diplomats began talking with the breakaway government at the end of last year about the possibility of establishing a base in Somaliland and are close to an agreement.
The base would be home for two minesweepers, four frigates, and two submarines, a reflection of Russia’s inability to build larger ships. It would also have two long runways capable of handling up to six military transport jets and 15 fighters, the Russian media say. Moscow reportedly has offered 250 million US dollars in investment.
Somaliland in turn wants official Russian recognition and has not been shy about talking about that in the media. Whether the republic will get that remains to be seen, especially as one country – the UAE – already has a base there but has not officially recognized the breakaway republic.
TOP TWEETS
@DalsanFM: President @M_Farmaajo is expected to address the nation on the month long political crisis that saw resignation of Speaker Mohamed Osman Jawari. This will be the first time that Farmaajo publicly adresses the political crisis pitting the executive and Speaker.
@Goobjoognews: BREAKING: President Mohamed Farmaajo to address the media shortly at Villa Somalia
@ahmedvision1: I hope the resignation of Speaker Jawari ends parliament stand off and political crises in Mogadishu. Only in three weeks reer Mogadishu suffered alot in terms of security, local movement, economy and all social services.#politicalStability
@i_dossier: Somalia didn’t breach diplomatic protocol by seizing nearly $10m from UAE plane according to a senior diplomat who says the bags were unmarked and UAE diplomats didn’t declare contents
https://www.voanews.com/a/
@VOANews: Somaliland Elders Approve ‘Historic’ Law Criminalizing Rape http://dlvr.it/QNzwHQ
@DalsanFM: Hirshabelle In Crisis As Mps Plot To Oust President Ware – http://radiodalsan.com/en/
@RAbdiCG: To gloat over Jawari’s departure, continue business as usual would be unfortunate – a great waste of crisis, a sure recipe to sow more instability.
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Mogadishu Mayor Abdirahman Omar Osman with the Mayor of Ankara Mustafa Tuna in Ankara, Turkey.
Photo: @engyarisow