February 14, 2018 | Daily Monitoring Report
One Dead, 3 Injured In IED Blast In Mogadishu, Says Spokesman
14 February – Source: Radio Shabelle – 92 Words
At least one person was confirmed dead and three others were wounded in an explosion in Mogadishu on Tuesday evening, an official said. Mr. Abdulaziz Ali Ibrahim, the spokesman of Somalia’s Ministry of Internal Security has confirmed that the blast has occurred at KM4 junction after an explosive device went off.
The explosion resulted from an improvised explosive device [IED] that exploded as it was playing by homeless children in the night. He added at least three civilians has sustained in the incident and were admitted to the hospital for medical treatment.
Key Headlines
- One Dead 3 Injured In IED Blast In Mogadishu Says Spokesman (Radio Shabelle)
- Somali Forces Capture Sablale Town From Al-Shabaab (Halbeeg News)
- Somali Federal Parliamentary Constitutional Committee Visit Puntland For Legal Review Process (Goobjoog News)
- Election Of A Parliamentary Seat To Be Held In Kismayo Today (Dhacdo.com)
- Baidoa City Residents And IDPs Hit By Water Crisis (Radio Ergo)
- Farmajo’s First Year: Challenges And Achievements (Wardheere News)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Somali Forces Capture Sablale Town From Al-Shabaab
14 February – Source: Halbeeg News – 193 Words
Somali forces backed by AMISOM on Tuesday recaptured a town in the Lower Shabelle region as the military intensified attacks against Al-Shabaab fighters. Lower Shabelle governor, Ibrahim Adan said the forces launched a major offensive against Al-shabaab fighters, capturing Sablale town in Lower Shabelle region.
“Somali and AMISOM troops who advanced from Barawe town on Tuesday afternoon have managed to capture Sablale town. Al-Shabaab vacated the area before our forces reached the town,” said Adan. The governor noted that the forces would proceed to secure other areas surrounding the town.
The latest attack came amid increased military operations in the region conducted jointly by African Union forces and the Somali National Army. Somali forces on Monday seized three villages in Lower Shabelle region from Al-Shabaab fighters but withdrew the captured areas citing that the military reached target of dismantling Shabab cells in the area.
Al-Shabaab reportedly arrested over 20 civilians for collaborating with Somali forces in Lower Shabelle region. The group retreated from Awdhiigle, Mubarak and Darisalam villages on Sunday before its fighters made a comeback. Sources say the locals had welcomed Somali forces who seized the villages in an operation against Al-Shabaab.
Al-Shabaab fighters had executed dozens of people for allegedly spying for Somalia government and its allies. The group still controls remote areas in South and central Somalia after losing control of the major towns to the allied forces.
Somali Federal Parliamentary Constitutional Committee Visit Puntland For Legal Review Process
14 February – Source: Goobjoog News – 295 Words
Constitutional committee of the Somali house of the people and the Senate led by the federal Constitutional Minister Abdirahman Hosh Jibril, yesterday met with Puntland state deputy president, and the local assembly members on how state intuitions and the public can participate in the review by sharing the committee’s work plan with all stakeholders.
Speaking in the event, state Constitutional Minister Abdifatah Said Ainab depicted the reason behind the official visit of the federal parliamentary constitutional delegate to Puntland. “The constitutional committee in parliament and the upper house earlier met with the civil society and today we welcomed them to the state assembly presided by the state deputy president.
Truly, they came for carrying consultation with us in order to exercise transparency on their activities by increasing discussions on the work plans with federal member states to clearly outline the roles each one has to play” state Minister Ainab said. On his part, Minister Hosh who spoke in the same venue announced how the due process of the constitutional review is vital to be in finalized within this year as agreed upon.
“We shared with the state leaders and assembly members on the roadmap of the constitutional review completion and the agreed tripartite work plan by the two constitutional committee of the federal houses and the ministry signed in the presence of the Somali PM Khaire in order to complete the law review within 2018 as agreed upon in the recent Somali National Security meeting.
We had a fruitful meeting with them” said federal Minister Hosh. The visit which took 2 days also included meeting with the state civil society who in fact “had ample knowledge on how the constitution is progressing and really asked us important questions and exchanged good information” added Minister Hosh.
Election Of A Parliamentary Seat To Be Held In Kismayo Today
14 February – Source: Dhacdo.com – 122 Words
The election of a parliamentary seat is today expected to be held in Kismayo. The seat was vacated by former Minister of Public Works Abbas Siraji who was murdered in Mogadishu. Chairperson of the National Independent Electoral Commission (NIEC), Halima Ismail Ibrahim said security of the election site was beefed up as delegates electing the new member of the parliament have been readied.
“We hope that it will end smoothly and we promise the public that the voting will be free and fair,” Halima said. One of the contestants for this position is the brother of the slain minister who has recently arrived in Kismayo to vie for the seat. Other contestants from the same clan are also contesting for the seat.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Baidoa City Residents And IDPs Hit By Water Crisis
13 February – Source: Radio Ergo – 469 Words
Water scarcity in the southern Somali city of Baidoa has become critical over the past few weeks, with residents of urban areas and the surrounding camps for internally displaced families all relying on a single well. Three of the four main wells serving Baidoa have failed due to significantly reduced water levels. Every day, donkey carts and people with jerry cans crowd round the water point, spending many hours waiting their turn at the single pipe that is left working.
Houses in the neighbourhoods with piped water are facing water rationing and receive water only at certain times. Abdi Mohamed Hussein, who lives in Salaamay IDP camp on the outskirts of town, spends most of his time fetching water for his family. This father of 10 works in construction but has not been able to go to the building sites for work recently as he spends so much time fetching water. “We have been greatly troubled here. In the last three days I have arrived here in the morning and left at four in the afternoon,” he told Radio Ergo’s local correspondent, whilst standing line with three jerry cans to fill. The family was displaced from Ufurow area, 150 km from Baidoa. Abdi’s wife has stepped up for the family needs and collects firewood to earn some income for their survival.
The wells used to be managed by the former central government’s water department. In more recent times they have been run by private businessmen, who charge for water. Water prices have surged and poor families in the camps have been particularly hard hit. The price of a 20-litre water storage container has risen from 2,000 to 5,000 Somali shillings.
OPINION, ANALYSIS & CULTURE
“Surprisingly, the level of support Farmaajo had received in Puntland and Galmudug were much higher than his predecessors Hassan Sheikh and Sheikh Sharif Ahmed when they visited the same regions. Taking into account the distance Somalia has come since Farmaajo’s election, this young government’s policy achievements are admirable.”
Farmajo’s First Year: Challenges And Achievements
12 February – Source: Wardheer News – 613 Words
It is difficult to judge the success or failure of a post-civil war president by the first year in office and it is equally difficult to measure if a sitting president succeeded politically before his re-election. However, president Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo’s approval rating among all Somalis, when he took office was the highest, compared to any other incoming presidents since independence.
Some critics have stated that Farmaajo has promised more hope and change than he has thus far delivered. However, it is indisputably true that Farmaajo inherited a famine-wracked country shattered by years of anarchy and run by power-hungry regional presidents who serve more to the interest of foreign entities, as well as continuous foreign interferences that made it impossible to deliver on these promises.
A major achievement by Farmaajo’s government was the dispute between Qatar and other Arab states in which the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) firmly remained neutral. This was a historic test of Somalia’s sovereignty and maturity, coming out of tested years of governance. Such a decision which can potentially alienate key allies is not only difficult but brave – a rare commodity in Somali politicians. As a result Somali communities received unprecedented respect and admiration throughout the world to the extent that many countries praised the Somali government’s policy independence.
Another major example is that PM Khayre enjoyed much more freedoms to run his office without much interference from the president. This is a rare occurrence not seen in previous presidents who have always meddled with the PM’s office to further their own personal agendas. It was the right move on the part of the president to allow his PM to set his own policies. However, the responsibility of delivering those policies rests squarely on the Prime Minister.
Surprisingly, the level of support Farmaajo had received in Puntland and Galmudug were much higher than his predecessors Hassan Sheikh and Sheikh Sharif Ahmed when they visited the same regions. Taking into account the distance Somalia has come since farmaajo’s election, this young government’s policy achievements are admirable. Some examples of successes one can point to; are reductions in corruption, increase of revenue, the lowering unemployment rates, brokered reconciliation agreement between Ahlu-Sunnah and Galmudug. These few examples alone are enough to argue farmaajo’s first year was an extraordinary success.
It needs to be acknowledged that one major issue during his one year Presidency has left a severe scar and trauma with many Somalis – is the handover of Qalbi Dhagax. While this incident is extremely painful for Somali sovereignty, it has to be judged against his one year track record and the track records of all presidents since the collapse of Somalia. To be fair, every president has the right to make one or two major mistakes. Farmaajo in one year has been able to balance this mistake with many positive achievements. He has four more years to continue his positive track record that may heal the wounds left by Qalbi Dhagax.
TOP TWEETS
@SomaliPM: Received in my offices today, Abdenor Brahmi, Deputy Director of French Economic East Africa. He emphasized France willingness to strongly take part in #Somalias progress and economic recovery through direct investment. #Somalia
@DalsanFM: 200 Khatumo Soldiers Defect To Join Somaliland Army – http://radiodalsan.com/en/200-
@MoPIED_Somalia: The Governor of Benadir and Mayor of Mogadishu H.E Abdirahman Osman appreciated the support given by EU and standing with the people of Somalia during the difficult times. He said “we are determined to provide services to our people, this projects means a lot to our citizens”
@Goobjoognews: GLOBAL COURT grants Somalia 4 months to respond to Kenya’s argument in maritime case –
@Goobjoognews: READ OUR exclusive interview with UN Special Representative of the Secretary- General for #Somalia@SRSGKeating
@RadioErgo: #Somalia: Baidoa city residents and IDPs hit by water crisis http://bit.ly/2EYFnyd @Goobjoognews: #BreakingNews : Federal minister of Public Works, Reconstruction and Housing Eng. Sadak Abdullahi Abdi is placed under pressure to quit contesting for the #parliamentaryseat of the late Abbas Abdullahi Siraji in #Kismayo,@Jubbalandstate1 . More to follow!
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire received Mr. Antonie Sivan, French Ambassador to Somalia in Villa Somalia, Mogadishu.
Photo: @SomaliPM