April 13, 2017 | Daily Monitoring Report
President Farmaajo Re-affirms Fight Against Graft, Pledges Jobs For Youths
13 April – Source : Goobjoog News – 279 Words
President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo has reiterated his government’s fight against corruption warning the practice was bleeding the country and denying citizens of livelihoods. Speaking during the 57th anniversary of the Somali National Army, President Farmaajo said he is leading the fight alongside all the senior government officials to ensure the government is corruption free. “We, the national leaders are going to fight corruption because this is the very enemy of Somali government for the last 16 years and even before,” the president said adding, “taking lessons from all these years, we can say corruption has been detrimental to state building.”
The president’s remarks follows his pre-election campaign in which he pledged to rid the system of deep rooted graft propagated by cartels in government. Somalia to date ranks among the most corrupt countries in the world with the anti-graft watchdog Transparency International listing it alongside North Korea and South Sudan. On the economic front, the president said his administration is determined to creating job opportunities particularly for young people graduating from universities.
The UN estimates upwards of 67% of the youth in Somalia are unemployed while the IMF warned this week, this unemployment rates ‘contributes significantly to irregular migration and participation in extremist activities, including Al-Shabaab the militant jihadist group which is viewed as another form of employment.’“We pledge to improve the economy to combat poverty. Our country is rich in resources and we have almost everything for livelihood, but only a peaceful country exploits its resources. We urge armed forces to secure peace and to work with Amisom and international community who are supporting us in the process of eradicating poverty, corruption and terror,” said President Farmajo.
Key Headlines
- President Farmaajo Re-affirms Fight Against Graft Pledges Jobs For Youths (Goobjoog News)
- Somali President Vows To Restore Mogadishu Security (Shabelle News)
- Arrested Pirates To Be Arraigned In Court In Galmudug (dhacdo.com)
- President Silanyo’s Advisor On Elections And Party Development Resigns (Hiiraan Online)
- President Farmaajo Vows To Defeat Al-Shabaab And Secure Somalia (AMISOM)
- Captain Of Boat Seized By Somali Pirates Says Crew Held For 9 Days (VOA)
- Three Conditions For Stable And Functioning Government In Somalia (Hiiraan Online)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Somali President Vows To Restore Mogadishu Security
13 April – Source : Shabelle News – 132 Words
Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi has vowed to restore the overall security of the capital Mogadishu, following series of Al shabaab bombings by Al shabaab militants. While making his first address at a ceremony marking the 57th anniversary of the foundation of the Somali National Army in Mogadishu on Wednesday, President Farmajo said he will reinstate former military commanders who led the liberation of Mogadishu from Al shabaab in 2011.
“Our new security strategy will begin with the capital, and then proceed to the other regions. We will not rest until we restore the peace and stability in the country,” said Farmajo. Somali President on the other hand has called on Al shabaab to come to the negotiating table, and open talks with his government or face eradication within the coming 2 years.
Arrested Pirates To Be Arraigned In Court In Galmudug
13 April – Source : Dhacdo.com – 183 Words
Four pirates, who were arrested by Galmudug security forces, in an operation that saw the release of Indian sailors held hostage by the pirates, will soon be arraigned in court, Galmudug authorities said. Mohamed Yusuf Hashi, Galmudug coastal guards commander, said the men were part of a group of pirates who held hostage eight Indian sailors taken from an Indian ship that was abducted near Hobyo during this week.
Hashi said the men are held at a custody in Hobyo awaiting transfer to Adado to appear before a court. “They are four of them and will soon appear before the regional court. Their colleagues accepted negotiations but these four were insistent and were later forcefully arrested,” he said. Galmudug said it won’t accept any piracy activities orchestrated in its territories. Galmudug is part of areas where piracy resurgence has been recorded in the past few weeks.
President Silanyo’s Advisor On Elections And Party Development Resigns
13 April – Source : Hiiraan Online – 102 Words
President Mohamed Mohamud Silanyo’s advisor on elections and party affairs, Abdullahi Haji Omar ‘Jawaan’ has resigned from his post. Jawaan criticized the way the upcoming Somaliland electoral process was being handled by the presidency and the electoral commission. “When I realized that my advice was not being considered, I decided to step aside,” said Jawaan, who has been Siilaanyo’s advisor for over four years. He further said he left the Kulmiye Party. Jawaan also accused the state minister of presidency, Mohamud Hashi Abdi for doing the president’s job and violating powers. “ He runs all the work and all ministers report to him.”
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
President Farmaajo Vows To Defeat Al-Shabaab And Secure Somalia
13 April – Source : AMISOM – 621 Words
Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed ‘Farmaajo’ yesterday promised to rid Mogadishu of Al-Shabaab militants who have continued to kill and maim innocent civilians in the capital city. Speaking during the Somali National Army (SNA) 57th anniversary celebrations held in Mogadishu, President Farmaajo asked the militants to take advantage of the amnesty issued recently, warning that those continuing to commit acts of terror will face the full force of the government. “We will look nowhere. We will use the same tactics that we used in the past and we will liberate the country with the capability of our troops,”
President Farmaajo said at the function attended by top military and government officials, senior African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) officers led by Force Commander, Lt. General Osman Noor Soubagleh, and representatives of the international community. The head of state recognized top SNA and AMISOM military officers who took part in the 2011 offensive that liberated the city from Al-Shabaab, among them, the current Contingent Commander of Uganda People’s Defence Force, Brig. Kayanja Muhanga, and the former AMISOM Force Commander, now Uganda’s Deputy Ambassador to Somalia, Maj. Gen. Nathan Mugisha.
He noted that he will deploy the same tactics that forced out Al-Shabaab from the capital city and other major towns. His administration, he emphasized, was ready to dialogue if the militants take advantage of the amnesty, but promised to pursue them if they don’t renounce violence. “The leaders of Al-Shabaab should know that they are not destroying the Government of Somalia.The Government has international support and a large army. You are destroying property and killing your brothers”.
Captain Of Boat Seized By Somali Pirates Says Crew Held For 9 Days
12 April – Source : VOA – 421 Words
The captain of an Indian boat hijacked by Somali pirates told VOA that eight of the crew were held on land for nine days before they were freed by Somali security forces in an operation near the village of Dugulle in the Mudug region on Wednesday. Captain Salim Osman, who was among those taken to land, said the pirates separated the 10-person crew just three days after hijacking the boat.
Two of the sailors had been found on the boat after security forces took it over during the early hours of Monday. Osman said he was happy to be free. VOA’s Somali service spoke to him while he was riding a vehicle with the mayor of Hobyo, Abdullahi Ahmed Ali. “Now I feel better,” said Osman, who is from the Kutch district in western India’s Gujarat state. Ali said security forces detained four pirates who were holding the crew after moving them from their boat off the coast of Hobyo.
Osman, 31, says the boat, Al Kausar, was traveling from Dubai to Bosaso when the pirates attacked it April 1. Earlier, maritime sources said the boat was headed for Kismayo. “This date I will never forget it, this was April Fools’ Day,” he said. Osman said the pirates asked for money. He also said they talked about the release of suspected Somali pirates being held in Indian jails. Osman said the pirates did not mistreat or threaten them, but that the main challenge was not getting enough food and drink.
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“To establish stable and functioning executive branch in Somalia, three fundamental changes should be made: reorganization of the structure of the government, distribution of the powers of the president and the prime minister and the adoption of cabinet-organization legislation and a new eligibility criteria for the membership of the council of ministers will, in my view, be a prerequisite for a stable executive at Somalia federal institutions.”
Three Conditions For Stable And Functioning Government In Somalia
12 April – Source : Hiiraan Online – 963 Words
Somalia experienced a leadership change in early 2017. After months of parliamentary elections, lower and upper house parliamentarians were sworn in in late 2016. The two chambers of the federal parliament elected Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo as the president of the state. Within two weeks a prime minister was appointed and the parliament unanimously gave him their vote of confidence. The prime minister announced a large cabinet and the parliament, as per the constitution, endorsed the government in late March 2017.
Somalia has repeatedly experienced unstable executive branch. The instability usually comes from disagreements between the president and his prime minister, which in turn affects the ministers and ministry portfolios. In the past 15 years, four Somali presidents appointed 12 prime ministers and ministry portfolios and cabinet members were arbitrarily changed. Similar squabbling could spark under the new federal leadership with the current structural problems in place.
To establish stable and functioning executive branch in Somalia, three fundamental changes should be made: reorganization of the structure of the government, distribution of the powers of the president and the prime minister and the adoption of cabinet-organization legislation and a new eligibility criteria for the membership of the council of ministers will, in my view, be a prerequisite for a stable executive at Somalia federal institutions.
Structural Change: The Somali provisional constitution gives considerable executive powers to both the president and the council of ministers. Somalia has been practicing this hybrid system since independence in 1960 – save during the military dictatorship (1969-1990). This system did not work well in Somalia. In the past four years, three prime ministers were appointed and sacked after disagreements between the president and the prime minister. Under the current set up, the president appoints the prime minister, but cannot fire. Therefore, the parliament has always been the arbiter and often gave a no confidence vote to prime ministers.
TOP TWEETS
@RadioErgo: #Somalia: False allure of rain in Mudug for #Somali pastoralists http://bit.ly/2o9ljPW
@Axmed_wali2: #Somalia: Four Somali ‘pirates’ to appear before #Galmudug court #Defendants face charges of hijacking Indian cargo Ship.
@GEEL_Somalia: Saamaynta, impact in Somali, is what we’re working towards. Read our newsletter to discover how we’re doing it! http://mailchi.mp/sogeel/
@Daudoo: BREAKING: A week after declaring a “state of war” in the country, #Somalia President now threatens to “eradicate” #AlShabaab within 2 yrs.
@UKinSomalia: #UKaid supports health workers such as Ubau Ahmed to deliver lifesaving health services to communities in #Garowe: https://www.facebook.com/
@HarunMaruf: Rudolph Atllah who is said to be an expert on Al-Shabab, Al-Qaeda is the new White House senior director for Africa https://www.buzzfeed.com/
@DrBeileh: Mogadishu port a great economic asset. We must utilise it fully. Excellent customer service, transparency & sustainable revenue a must. https://pbs.twimg.com/
IMAGE OF THE DAY
President Mohamed Farmaajo lay a wreath in honour of fallen soldiers during the SNA 57th anniversary celebrations in Mogadishu
Photo: @MudaneFarmaajo