August 3, 2012 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Somalia’s newly-endorsed constitution widely hailed

02 Aug – Source: Xinhua – 848 words

The provisional Somali constitution which was overwhelmingly endorsed by the country’s National Constituent Assembly (NCA) in Mogadishu has been widely welcomed and praised as one of the top legal documents in the world. The Somali constituent assembly of 825 delegates drawn from people from all walks of life has been debating the draft constitution for the past week and voted almost unanimously for the new constitution to replace the 8-year old Somali charter.

Key Headlines

Somali PM says new constitution is the only oppurtunity for Somalis (Raxanreeb)
Galmudug president declares Qeybdid’s presidency unconstitutional (Radio Bar-kulan/Universal TV)
Somali Interior minister says Mogadishu security is under control (Shabelle)
At 14 Puntland State says ready to lead federalism in Somalia (Africa Review)
Somalia’s newly-endorsed constitution widely hailed (Xinhua)
Clinton’s East Africa Trip Focuses On Oil Somalia Security (Bloomberg)

SOMALI MEDIA

Somali PM says new constitution is the only oppurtunity for Somalis

02 Aug – Source: Raxanreeb – 225 words

Somalia prime minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali “Gaas” has extremely praised the 825 members of the country’s constituent assembly who on Wednesday passed the new draft constitution as he promised that it will allow better chance of life to whole Somalis, RBC Radio reports.“This is a historic day, after twenty years of wars we have now slammed the door of the poverty and conflicts by adopting first democratic constitution in our country.” the prime minister told reporters in a press briefing in Mogadishu on Wednesday.

Galmudug president declares Qeybdid’s presidency unconstitutional

02 Aug – Source: Radio Bar-kulan/Universal TV -176 words

Galmudug’s seating President Mohamed Ahmed Alin has faulted Wednesday’s presidential election in Galkayo, where a section of the regional parliament has elected a new president, calling it unconstitutional.The regional parliament on Wednesday elected former TFG minister for Minerals and Water, Abdi Hassan Awale Qeybdid as the president of the semi-autonomous State of Galmudug for the next three years.Qeybdid garnered 20 votes out of the 22 voters cast in a hotly contested presidential election held in Galkayo town by the region’s parliamentarians.His only contender, Abdisamed Noor Gulleid who is the current Vice President got only one vote while the remaining vote was declared spoiled.

Somali Interior minister says Mogadishu security is under control

02 Aug – Source: Shabelle/Mareeg Online – 76 words

Somalia’s Minister for Interior and National Security Abdi-Samad Mo’allin, said Thursday that the security of the capital Mogadishu is under their full control, a day after Somali security forces foiled suicide attacks on a key meeting in Mogadishu. “Somali security forces are at this time more vigilant than in the past. They secured the capital and stopped many deadly attacks against government institutions and army bases in Mogadishu,” he said.

Somaliland: Las Anod mayor’s son injured in grenade attack

02 Aug – Source: Hadhwanaag Times – 103 words

The house of Las Anod mayor of Somaliland Farah Abdi Yare has been attacked with hand grenades on Wednesday night.The son of Las Anod mayor has been slightly injured in the attack which was conducted by unknown men.Speaking to the Geeska Africa journal after the attack, the mayor said the assailants escaped, but investigations are underway.“My house came under grenade attacks. One of sons has been slightly wounded. No one has been arrested for the attack” the mayor told Hadhwanaag Times.

REGIONAL MEDIA

At 14, Puntland State says ready to lead federalism in Somali

0 Aug – Source: Africa Review – 242 words

Puntland, a semiautonomous state in north-eastern Somalia, Tuesday marked the 14th anniversary of its establishment on August 1, 1998 and said that it was ready to play a bigger role in the federal republic that it has pushed for.Puntland President Abdurahman Sheikh Mohamed Farole said that his authority had achieved a number of landmarks to become the frontrunner in the building of a federal state in Somalia. He said that major government bodies were in place in Puntland to qualify it as a genuine component of a federal republic in Somalia.

American terrorist targets Uganda

02 Aug – Source:New Vision – 313 words

The Ugandan police have warned that terrorists are targeting Uganda again.Addressing a press conference yesterday, Police spokesman Simon Kuteesa said the Police, through international security agencies, had unearthed a plot by an international terror suspect of American nationality, Mohammed Liban Haji, to sneak into the country and cause mayhem.“In collaboration with international anti-terrorism security agencies, we have intelligence regarding their intention to launch a terrorist attack in the country,” Kuteesa said at the Police headquarters, adding that the information was credible.Terrorists, he said, were planning to take advantage of the sports calendar, especially the ongoing Olympics to attack public places and urged the public to be cautious.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Somalia’s newly-endorsed constitution widely hailed

02 Aug – Source: Xinhua – 848 words

Clinton’s East Africa Trip Focuses On Oil, Somalia, Security

02 Aug- Source: Bloomberg- 968 words

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will encourage East African leaders this week to boost security and political stability in a region threatened by al Qaeda and growing in importance as a source of energy. Clinton is scheduled to arrive in Uganda today as part of an 11-day tour that began in Senegal on July 31. She will meet leaders from Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan and Somalia, countries essential to Washington’s strategy to fight Islamist militants and expand American economic interests. “Somalia is the principal source of instability in the Horn of Africa and several East African states — Uganda, Burundi, Kenya and Ethiopia — have taken a lead in trying to stabilize the situation and have made more progress than we’ve seen in the last 20 years,” Siegel said. “Clinton will applaud that.”

SOCIAL MEDIA

CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS

“The current environment in Mogadishu does not allow the emergence of good leaders as the political process is in the hands of the three top TFG leaders. It is certainly clear that the way the process is currently set up will not bring any political change.”

Somalia Needs Real Change

02 Aug- Source: The Star (Kenya)-605 Words

As the term of Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government comes to an end this August 2012, there is hope that the new political dispensation will bring positive outcomes. This will be a great opportunity to come back as a respected partner in the international community. The task ahead is to achieve a safe transition that will lead to the establishment of a quality Parliament and the election of a respectable Speaker and President.