February 5, 2014 | Morning Headlines.

Main Story

Puntland parliament approves new cabinet

04 Feb- Source: Radio RBC/Radio Garowe/Halgan Online/Allpuntland Online-166 words

The Parliament of Somalia’s semi-autonomous state of Puntland has approved the state’s new council of ministers which President Abdiwrli Gaas unveiled last week. President Abdiweli Gaas, Parliament Speaker Sa’id Hassan Shire and 36 members of the Puntland House of Representatives attended Tuesday’s sitting in which the parliament voted in favor for the new cabinet. Parliament Speaker Sa’id Hassan Shire announced the result of the voting saying that the new cabinet received the endorsement of the house with unanimous vote. President Abdiweli Gaas thanked the parliamentarians for approving the new cabinet. The President described the vote a sign for close collaboration between the parliament and the newly formed cabinet. The new cabinet comprises 19 ministers. The new cabinet was the last in a series of activities to form the new Puntland government in which new parliamentarians were selected and new president and vice president elected in January 8th following the end of the former region’s government.

Key Headlines

Puntland parliament approves new cabinet (Radio RBC/Radio Garowe/Halgan Online/Allpuntland Online)
Somali Federal Govt fires ‘700 soldiers over incompetence’ (Radio Garowe/Markacadeey Online/Dhanaan Online)
70 Dadaab refugee families move back home to Elwak in January (Radio Ergo)
Kenya Defence Forces to vacate Kismayo as calm returns to port city (Standard Media)
Kenya: Four terror suspects deny link to JKIA blast (Star Kenya)
Somali fishermen double as lifeguards (eNCA)

PRESS STATEMENT

Prime Minister demands answers from security officials on night’s explosions

04 Feb- Source: Office of the Prime Minister- 280 words

His Excellency Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed today called together and met with senior government, city and security officials to discuss last night’s series of explosions across Mogadishu. Meeting at the Office of the Mayor of Mogadishu the Prime Minister met with the Minister of National Security, H.E. Abdikarim Hussein Guled, Head of the Somali Police, General Abdihakim Dahir Sa’id, Mayor of Mogadishu, Mohammud Ahmed Tarsan, senior security officials, District and Police Commissioners for Mogadishu to discuss and demand answers to last night’s series of explosions across Mogadishu.

Addressing the meeting of security and city officials, the Prime Minister, said: “This meeting is to question ourselves on last night’s explosions which targeted the innocent citizens of Mogadishu. Those explosions create fear in our people, we must investigate and swiftly bring to justice those behind these attacks. “Our people should be able to live without fear and that is the number one responsibility of my government. I want every one of you in this room to come up with a result, this cannot be allowed to happen again. Our people are waiting and expecting an answer on who was behind last night’s indiscriminate violence and face justice. “I will not allow these cowards to strike fear into our people and derail the progress Mogadishu and Somali has made. My government will protect its citizens.”

Minister of National Security, H.E. Abdikarim Hussein Guled, said: “We must ask ourselves what happened last night and come up with the answers. Security forces and agencies are working together with investigations and security operations already under way to ensure those responsible face justice and allowing our people to go about their lives without fear.”

SOMALI MEDIA

Puntland parliament approves new cabinet

04 Feb- Source: Radio RBC/Radio Garowe/Halgan Online/Allpuntland Online-166 words

Somali Federal Govt fires ‘700 soldiers over incompetence’

04 Feb- Source: Radio Garowe/Markacadeey Online/Dhanaan Online- 141 words

Federal Government of Somalia officially announced the sacking of 700 soldiers from various ranks in the military. Somali National Army (SNA) Chief, Gen. Dahir Khalif Elmi (Indho Qarshe) has on Tuesday disclosed at media briefings in Mogadishu the government’s decision of firing troops outnumbering 600 over incompetence. “The sacked soldiers are those who failed to carry out their national duties effectively,” said Indho Qarshe, noting that they had been calling on the soldiers from various ranks including commanders, deputy commanders and captains to join the ongoing military operations. “Khat traders, private hotels guards and some soldiers who turned deaf ear to our calls of duty were among those who were sacked from the army,” he added. Speaking on Mogadishu-based radio stations, military commanders who were fired in the major shakeup accused the Somali Federal Government of erroneously dismissing them without further considerations.

70 Dadaab refugee families move back home to Elwak in January

04 Feb- Source: Radio Ergo- 156 words

Around 70 families from Dadaab refugee camps in Kenya have returned to their home areas in Elwak during January 2014, according to the Elwak local administration. Aden Derow, Elwak’s officer in charge of resettling returnees, said this brought to 925 families the number of returnees over the past six months. Fadumo Hussein, a mother of 10, who had been living in Dadaab for the past three years, was among the families coming home to Elwak. “We left the camps due to the worsening security there and living conditions,” Hussein told Radio Ergo’s local reporter. “And we returned home because we feel safer here,” she added. UNHCR last month opened an office in Dadaab to facilitate the voluntary repatriation of Somali refugees, under a tripartite agreement signed between Somalia, Kenya and the UNHCR. However, Radio Ergo’s reporter said the refugees arriving in Elwak had done so alone and at their cost, not with any assistance from UNHCR.

Universal TV director reacts to Somaliland’s ban

04 Feb- Source: Radio Dalsan- 130 words

The south and central Somalia director of the privately owned Universal TV Abdullahi Hersi has condemned the decision in which Somaliland information minister suspended the operations of the station. The Minister of Information of the Breakaway region, Abdulahi Dahir Ukuse issued a decree to ban the operations of the Universal TV, declaring that the administration has revoked the license from Universal TV for allegedly insulting the president of Somaliland Ahmed Silanyo. Reacting to the decision, Abdullahi Hersi said the move was unnecessarily unfortunate and complete violation against the press freedom. He said the management of the station have engaged in negotiation with the authorities in Somaliland to convince them to quash their order, terming the decisions as not for gaining democracy and transparency society in Somaliland.

REGIONAL MEDIA

Kenya Defence Forces to vacate Kismayo as calm returns to port city

04 Feb- Source: Standard Media- 306 words

Most of Kenya’s troops have begun moving out of Somalia’s port city of Kismayo, which they captured in 2012 after ousting al Qaeda-linked militants, al Shabaab.The new Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) spokesman Col Willy Wesonga said the top army command will move to the upper areas of the newly formed Jubaland. Wesonga said Sierra Leonean troops will replace Kenyan forces that will move to the Gedo region. “Only small Kenyan units will remain in Kismayu to operate with those from Sierra Leone but the command will move upwards to Gedo region,’” he said. Residents of Kismayo last month protested the announcement that KDF was moving out of the area amid fears that al Shabaab may return. But Wesonga said the Sierra Leonean troops were equal to the task and that they are all under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISIOM). “Let the residents know that some of our troops will remain in Kismayo and even those from Sierra Leone are able to contain the situation,” he said, adding that most of the areas are now relatively safe.

Kenya: Four terror suspects deny link to JKIA blast

04 Feb- Source: Star-Kenya- 196 words

Four terror suspects have denied 12 counts of charges levied against them in a Nairobi court this morning in connection with a blast that occurred at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport a fortnight ago. The four, Hassan Abdi Mohammed, Mohammed Osman Ali, Ilyas Yusuf Warsame and Garad Hassan Fer, denied charges ranging from being in the country illegally, obtaining registration documents under false pretence and possessing explosive devices. One of the four, Ilyas Yusuf Warsame, said he is an employee of the Somali embassy in Kenya and cannot engage in terror activities. The other three said they are Kenyan citizens who have businesses in the country.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Somali fishermen double as lifeguards

04 Feb- Source: eNCA-205 Words

With security improving in Somalia’s capital, thousands of residents like to spend a day at the beach. However, drownings have been on the rise. A local municipality has trained a team of lifeguards to ensure safety at Mogadishu’s beaches. eNCA spoke to Abdullahi Hassan, who is a former teacher. Hassan decided to take action when a former student died. As a Mogadishu district commissioner, he has trained and deployed lifeguards. “I am very happy that this project has been initiated and it’s saving lives. As you can see that there are lots of people here not only from this area but all parts of the city and outside as well. They have come here and are having fun and after they can go home safe,” said Hassan. The 15 lifeguards are mostly fishermen. They volunteer their time and boats over the weekend.

About 860,000 need food assistance in Somalia: experts

04 Feb- Source: shanghaidaily/Xinhua- 284 words

Some 860,000 people require urgent humanitarian assistance in Somalia between now and June, with 51, 000 children facing increased risk of death, food security experts said in a joint analysis released on Tuesday. The joint assessment by the Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit for Somalia (FSNAU), a project managed by UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) shows additional interventions will be required to protect livelihoods and build the resilience of communities against future shocks. “The food security condition of over 2 million additional people remains fragile and is classified as Stressed,” reveals assessment which was released in Nairobi.

SOCIAL MEDIA

CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS

“Somalia at full scale commercial agriculture could feed the whole of Africa. The time is now and opportunities come once. Benjamin Franklin once said: “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” It is time to be greedy for opportunities because we told you so!!”

Time to invest in Somalia.

04 Feb- Source: East African Business Week-546 Words

“I will tell you how to become rich. Close the doors. Be fearful when others are greedy. Be greedy when others are fearful.” – Warren Buffett. That seems to be a good adage for opportunities that abound for neighbor and sister country Somalia. Somalia is planning on their second Somalia Investment Summit (SIS) 2014 slated for Dubai in the United Arab Emirates from April 6-7. Hosted by the Somalia Investment Forum, the SIS 2014, will focus on opportunities in Somalia. But this is thanks to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) group composed largely by an East African contingent led by among others Ugandan, Burundian and Kenyans troops that comprise the majority of the over 10,000 strong force.