January 5, 2017 | Morning Headlines
Uganda Chief Of Defence Forces Visits Somali And AMISOM Troops In Forward Operating Bases In Lower Shabelle Region
04 January – Source: AMISOM – 204 Words
The Chief of Defence Forces of the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF), Gen. Katumba Wamala inspected defence positions of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) in Barawe and Qoryooley, in Lower Shabelle region on Wednesday, on the final stage of his three-day working visit to Somalia. In the port city of Barawe, Gen. Katumba interacted with the ground forces of the Somali National Army (SNA) and AMISOM troops under Ugandan contingent. He also visited a forward operating base along Kismayo Road in the outskirts of the city.
Barawe was liberated by SNA and AMISOM from Al-Shabaab in October 2014. “I came to see how they are settling in and how their defence positions are,” said Gen. Wamala, shortly after addressing the newly deployed troops. “ I took advantage of my visit here to check out the defences and how they are,” explained the army chief. While addressing the SNA soldiers, Gen. Katumba encouraged the troops to prepare to take charge of the country’s security when AMISOM eventually exits Somalia and transfers the responsibility of securing Somalia to the national forces.
AMISOM Force Commander Lt. Gen. Osman Noor Soubagleh and Col. Shadrack Othieno Mutacho, the AMISOM Chief of Operations accompanied Gen. Katumba to Barawe.
Key Headlines
- Uganda Chief Of Defence Forces Visits Somali And AMISOM Troops In Forward Operating Bases In Lower Shabelle Region (AMISOM)
- Seven Candidates Declare Their Parliamentary Leadership Bid (Goobjoog News)
- Hirshabelle President Arrives In Beledweyne For Talks With Local Administration Clan Elders (Garowe Online)
- Somalia’s Electoral Process Is The Most Discussed Topic In Public Places (AMISOM)
- First Somali-American Legislator Begins Work In Minnesota (VOA News)
- Recurrent Drought In The Horn Of Africa Region And The Need To Come Up With Sustainable Solutions (Wardheer News)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Seven Candidates Declare Their Parliamentary Leadership Bid
04 January – Source: Goobjoog News – 134 Words
Seven candidates contesting for the posts of speaker and deputy speaker of the federal parliament’s Lower House submitted the forms of their candidacy as the country readies for the parliament leadership elections on January 11/12. Wednesday’s parliamentary session particularly focused on the upcoming elections of Speakers of Lower and Upper Houses. Former parliament speaker Mohamed Osman Jawari is among candidates vying for the Lower House speaker post.
Names of other candidates:
Abdirashid Mohamed Hiddig who runs for the parliament speaker.
Jaylani Nur Ikar who seeks to be first deputy speaker.
Saeed Hussein Eid runs for first deputy speaker.
Abdiweli Ibrahim Muday who wants to take part in the first deputy speaker race.
Khalid Maow Abdikadir runs for first deputy speaker.
Abdikadir Sheikh Ali Baqdadi runs for the second deputy speaker.
Hirshabelle President Arrives In Beledweyne For Talks With Regional Administration, Clan Elders
04 January – Source: Garowe Online – 175 Words
A delegation led by the President of Hirshabelle state, Ali Abdulahi Osoble has arrived in Hiiraan’s Beledweyne town to hold talks with officials from the regional and district administration and clan elders.
Somali Federal MPs hailing from the region including former Federal Interior Minister Abdullahi Goodah Barre accompanied President Osoble to Beledweyn.
During his stay in Beledweyne, President Osoble is expected to hold meetings with officials and elders from the region to discuss a range of issues including the assessment of the drought situation in the area and status of a recently signed agreement to end recurring conflict in parts of the region.
Security of the town was beefed up by pro-government forces and Djiboutian troops serving with the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia (AMISOM) ahead of the visit.
This is the second trip by President Osoble to Hiiraan region since his election back in October 2016. On December 2016, Hirshabelle Parliament approved to extend the period to appoint a cabinet for the state following failure to meet previous deadlines to form the administration.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somalia’s Electoral Process Is The Most Discussed Topic In Public Places
04 January – Source: AMISOM – 417 Words
Somalia’s landmark electoral process has dominated discussions in public places across the Horn of Africa country over the past few months, as Somalis examine the democratic progress the country has made after years of civil war. Scores of political analysts gather daily to debate and share views about the ongoing process, which will culminate in presidential elections later this month. Conversations are animated and go on for hours, with breaks only for meals or refreshments. At a popular hotel in Mogadishu recently, newly elected member of the House of the People, Sadik Warfa, of Puntland state, expressed his thoughts on the electoral process to a group of colleagues.
Warfa described the delegates system, adopted by the National Leadership Forum to guide the electoral process, as an illustration of the country’s evolution towards representative governance. “We have passed the era when elders picked MPs. I see it as a step in the right direction for the Somali people,” Warfa said. The MP voiced his optimism about the post-election period and looks forward to debate in parliament. “When the House of the People holds its first sitting, the priority will be to hold the government accountable. It should have oversight responsibility to represent the views of the Somali people, ” Warfa told a keen audience, gathered around his table.
At another table, Liban Abdi Ali, a political analyst and former journalist, delved deeper into the issue of local media coverage of the electoral process. “In my view, they (media) were focusing on conflict, like a candidate’s clan, which group he belongs to and such issues; although they are supposed to focus on each candidate’s experience, knowledge, achievements and political agenda,” Liban said. He expressed disappointment at the media’s inability to organize political debates prior to the elections. At the far end of the restaurant, author and political analyst Abukar Sheikh Ahmed questions the decision to push back universal suffrage until 2020, saying there was no public voting or campaign.
“Most of the candidates knew their target (delegates) and they were campaigning in parliament and within their clans,” Abukar argues. Somalia’s electoral process, which is currently in its final stages, has seen voting taking place in five federal states and Mogadishu. At the conclusion of the electoral exercise, two hundred and seventy-five members of the House of the People will have been elected from South West, Puntland, Galmudug, Hirshabelle, Jubbaland and Somaliland states; and Banaadir region. A further 54 members of the Upper House will also have been elected.
First Somali-American Legislator Begins Work In Minnesota
04 January – Source: VOA News – 725 Words
With two simple words – “I do” – Ilhan Omar began her term as a lawmaker in the Minnesota House of Representatives, accomplishing what few people thought possible during an election year where Muslim Americans were at the center of heated political debate about immigration and terrorism. “The Muslim community needs a win,” says Asad Zaman, Executive Director of the Muslim American Society of Minnesota. “This entire election cycle has been dominated by negativity towards immigrants and Muslims.”
Zaman was one of dozens of supporters who filled the Minnesota State Capitol on the opening day of the new legislative session, shuttling between events marking Ilhan Omar’s historic first day on the job as state lawmaker, which included a ceremonial oath of office – complete with a commemorative Quran – on the floor of the Minnesota House of Representatives.
“I think it says a lot about the ethos of America,” Zaman told VOA, “that can embrace a Somali-American, hijab-clad Muslim woman as their representative, as the most qualified person to speak for them in the state capitol.” It’s been an unlikely journey from a Somali refugee camp in Kenya to the Minnesota State House of Representatives, but 34-year-old Ilhan Omar’s historic rise to become the first female Somali-American legislator in the United States is now a beacon of hope for Muslims, and particularly Muslim women, around the world.
“There are many countries that have had women as heads of state, especially Muslim-majority countries who’ve had,” Nausheena Hussain from the Reviving the Islamic Sisterhood of Empowerment explained to a crowd of Ilhan Omar supporters gathered at the state capitol building. “So, we may not have shattered that glass ceiling in electing a President or head of state in our country, but for me, and the thousands of Muslim women, and women of color, Ilhan Omar is that ceiling that’s been shattered for us.”
OPINION, CULTURE & ANALYSIS
“Drought is recurrent and coping strategies to it is not systematic and well designed. Whenever drought happens it is a common thing to see appeals by Governments in the horn, but what is missing is the lack of coherent and well-planned strategy to deal with the drought through research and sustainable solutions.”
Recurrent Drought In The Horn Of Africa Region And The Need To Come Up With Sustainable Solutions
03 January – Source: Wardheer News – 731 Words
Drought is a deficiency in precipitation over an extended period, usually a season or more, resulting in a water shortage causing adverse impacts on vegetation, animals, and/or people. It is a normal, recurrent feature of climate that occurs in virtually all climate zones, from very wet to very dry. Drought is not like other natural hazards. Although droughts are normal, recurring features in virtually all climatic zones, the effects of droughts often accumulate slowly over a long period and may linger for years afterwards. And unlike earthquakes, floods or hurricanes, the impact can be felt in large areas and by large numbers of people. Unlike in most other situations of natural disasters, relief operations responding to droughts will be large-scale and long-term.
The Horn of Africa region was hit by a severe drought that has resulted the loss of human lives and death of more livestock. The drought has badly affected the pastoralist communities who has lost their livestock in flocks. Drought is recurrent and coping strategies to it is not systematic and well designed. Whenever drought happens it is a common thing to see appeals by Governments in the horn, but what is missing is the lack of coherent and well-planned strategy to deal with the drought through research and sustainable solutions.
Thanks to all Somalis around the globe, the support and generous donations has saved the lives of many people affected by the drought in which different food, medical and shelter facilities were provided to the needy people. After the emergency lifesaving operation, there needs to be a well-planned drought recovery strategy for both the pastoral and agro-pastoral communities affected by the drought.
Revisiting the firefighter approach of dealing with the drought needs to be revised through the use of experts in the areas of drought recovery and rehabilitation. Firefighters have no exact long-term plan in place but rush to any place where a fire erupts to extinguish and the case of dealing with the current drought seems to be similar with that of the firefighters.
Most of the pastoralists hit by the drought lost their livestock and the agro-pastoral communities are now unable to cultivate farms because either they have lost their oxen to the drought or the oxen left are too weak to be used for the cultivation of farms. The Culmination of all the above factors necessitate the need to rethink on how to deal with the drought which needs proper planning for proper targeting and rehabilitation of the drought-hit communities in the region.