January 13, 2017 | Daily Monitoring Report
National Leadership Forum Speaks On The Galmudug Political Situation
13 January – Source: Jowhar.com – 169 Words
The National Leadership Forum has issued a statement on the political developments in Galmudug State after members of the State’s parliament recently passed a vote of no confidence against President Abdikarim Hussein Guled. The Statement follows a teleconference Chaired by outgoing Federal President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on January 11 and 12, 2017 which was witnessed by Speaker Prof. Osman Jawari and outgoing Prime Minister Omar Sharmarke and his deputy Mohamed Omar Arte. The forum discussed the recent passage of a vote of no confidence against President Guled by the Galmudug parliament and warned against any actions that spearheads instability in the country at this time of biting droughts and transition period. The forum agreed any move intended to create instability will not be accepted and urged Members of the Galmudug parliament to follow the laid down procedures to solve any differences with their leaders.
Key Headlines
- National Leadership Forum Speaks On The Galmudug Political Situation (Jowhar.com)
- Tarsan Hails Election For The Parliament Leadership (Shabelle News)
- 2 Injured In Grenade Attack In Jowhar (Goobjoog News)
- Somalia Willing To Expand Ties With Pakistan In Multiple Areas (Radio Pakistan)
- Minneapolis Council Member Abdi Warsame Pledges To Build New Somali Mall (Star Tribune)
- The Great Wall Of Kenya: ‘A weird Solution To A Much Bigger Problem’ (Daily Maverick)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Tarsan Hails Election For The Parliament Leadership
13 January – Source: Shabelle News – 122 Words
Former Mogadishu Mayor Mohamud Ahmed Nur better known as ‘Tarsan’ has welcomed the election of the new parliament’s speaker and his two deputies in Mogadishu by lawmakers. Mr Tarsan who is also a presidential candidate praised federal MPs for electing right candidates for the parliament leadership, urging them to serve the nation effectively.
He has called on the new Somali parliament leadership to set a deadline for the election of the president and give the candidates access to be part of the decision-making process. Lastly, Mohamud Ahmed Nur also urged the MPs to file a motion to demand 50% of the funds from presidential candidates registration to help people in the drought-hit regions.
2 Injured In Grenade Attack In Jowhar
13 January – Source: Goobjoog News – 138 Words
Two people were injured in a grenade attack in Jowhar, the headquarters of HirShabelle last night. The grenade bomb was targeted government soldiers in the city. An eyewitness told Goobjoog News that the hand grenade was hurled by unidentified group who disappeared after the incident.
The grenade exploded near a police checkpoint which was followed by gunfire that could be heard in the city. The injured people who had minor injuries were rushed to the main hospital of the city. According to the police, the wounded persons were civilian. No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks yet, however Al-Shabaab has in the past carried out such attacks.
INTERNATIONAL
Somalia Willing To Expand Ties With Pakistan In Multiple Areas
13 January – Source: Radio Pakistan – 155 Words
Somalia wants to expand cooperation with Pakistan in multiple areas including Trade, Human Resource Development, Defence and Security. This was stated by Ambassador of Somalia Ms. Khadija Mohammad Al-Makhdoomi during her meeting with National Security Advisor Nasser Khan Janjua. The Ambassador said that Pakistan has great capacity to tackle internal security problems and Somalia wants to learn from the experiences of Pakistan in this regard.
National Security Adviser said that Somalia is a country of great strategic importance. Both sides agreed to enhance mutual cooperation and to boost bilateral relations. Ambassador of Iraq Dr.Ali Yasin Muhammad Karim also called on National Security Advisor and exchanged views on bilateral relations between the two countries. Matters concerning regional security and stability also came under discussion. The ambassador acknowledged Pakistan’s efforts against terrorism. He stressed the importance of cooperation in multiple areas including security, trade and defense.
Minneapolis Council Member Abdi Warsame Pledges To Build New Somali Mall
13 January – Source: Star Tribune – 937 Words
The Sabri family’s dominance of Somali-American merchants in Minneapolis must be broken, Council Member Abdi Warsame said this week, and he promised to lead an effort to build a new, cooperatively owned mall for East African businesses. “The Somali community is not beholden to the Sabris,” Warsame said. “We need to have an alternative mall.” Somali-American merchants in Minneapolis have depended on Basim Sabri and his family, who manage several buildings across south Minneapolis, including the two largest collections of Somali businesses in the Twin Cities — the Karmel Square Mall just off West Lake Street and the Village Market at the corner of 24th Street and Elliot Ave. S., better known as the “24 Mall.”
The two shopping centers are packed with nearly 350 small businesses combined, the majority of them owned by women. They have also been flash points in neighborhood politics for years — plagued by code violations, squabbles with city officials and neighbor complaints about parking, traffic, cleanliness and unpermitted construction. Warsame, whose Sixth Ward includes the 24 Mall, said tenants are too scared of the Sabris to complain publicly, but they come to him regularly with grievances, and they need another option.
Basim Sabri, a Palestinian by birth, said Thursday that many of his tenants are like extended family to him, that he has helped Somali immigrants launch thriving businesses, and that while he, like everyone, makes mistakes, he rejects the notion that he or his family are abusing tenants. “You don’t have to bring someone down in order to come up with a good idea for a new mall,” Sabri said of Warsame’s proposal. “They’ve got my blessing. I could even maybe invest with them.”
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“Walls have never kept people out. People build underground tunnels or use ladders. Security starts from solving the underlying social, economic, and political issues of which the two countries are not willing to discuss.”
The Great Wall Of Kenya: ‘A weird Solution To A Much Bigger Problem’
12 January – Source: Daily Maverick – 816 Words
After a year’s delay, construction finally began in December on an 800km wall on Kenya’s northern border designed to keep out Al-Shabaab militants from Somalia. The wall is made of concrete and will be reinforced with barbed wire and electrified fencing, as well as deep ditches reminiscent of the type seen in Kenyan prisons. Armed guards will be stationed in watchtowers positioned along the wall.
The project is fully funded by the Kenyan government. Labour comes from the National Youth Service and the Ministry of Transport, while the Kenyan Defence Force will be on the ground to provide security. In total, the wall is expected to cost Kenya a staggering 200-million shillings (R26.6-million) per kilometre.
Senior government officials have hailed the construction of the wall, saying it will be a key factor in curbing potential terrorist attacks. “It symbolises the joint effort by Somalia and Kenyan government to fight Al-Shabaab who have been a menace to the residents,” said Interior Secretary Joseph Nkaissery.
Mandera governor Ali Roba said the wall would force terrorists to change their tactics. “In most attacks the assailants flee to Somalia immediately after they have executed their plans and hence barring them access will hinder more terrorist activities,” he said.
Ordinary Kenyans aren’t so sure. The Daily Maverick spoke to a number of community members, who offered a rather different perspective. “Walls have never kept people out. People build underground tunnels or use ladders. Security starts from solving the underlying social, economic, and political issues of which the two countries are not willing to discuss,” said Yusuf Ibrahim, a businessmen based in Somalia.
Zulekha Asman agrees, and she would know – she is a businesswoman who does most of her business at the Somali border, selling spices. She says that a wall won’t help unless corruption is also addressed. “We live in an era where the sneaking of grenades and weapons [across the border] to carry out terror activities are a norm, as money exchanges hands. There are cartels which include very senior people in power who ensure that Al-Shabaab will carry out its activities whether we barricade them or not. There are cases where grenades are even sneaked on people in wheelchairs and go undetected,” she said.
TOP TWEETS
@GermanyinKenya : The EU welcomes the election of the Leadership of the House of the People in #Somalia.#SomaliaElections
@UNICEFAfrica : In #Somalia 830,000 people are facing extreme water shortage. Watch our video to learn more & RT: https://youtu.be/RmYcZAMGd98 @unicefsomalia
@Sabaaward : @Sabaaward #Somalia is changing for the good. It will demystify the negative publicity, the new Somalia is highly visible.
@Mr_Omarsson : For the good of the people of #Somalia, good luck! #Doorashada2017 #SomaliaElections
@Pastoralist1 : African #Pastoralists Lands: A New Battle Ground For Terrorism. http://africacenter.org/
@alihwarsame : Competent & independent Parliament is key to ensure accountability & transparency in government, a commodity so scarce in #Somalia politics.
@Moshireh : Credit where credit is due to FIET & SIETS teams for the successful completion of elections under difficult conditions. #Democracy #Somalia
IMAGE OF THE DAY
First Somalia Business Awards event held in Mogadishu on January 12th at Jazeera Palace Hotel.
Photo: @Globsomdiaspora