July 5, 2018 | Daily Monitoring Report
Twenty-five Somali Police Officers Undergo Training On Traffic Management
05 July – Source: AMISOM – 387 Words
The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has organized a 10 –day course for Somali police officers to improve their skills in traffic management. The training, being attended by 25 traffic police officers, comes at a time when the capital city is experiencing increased traffic on its roads partly due to improved security. Speaking during the official opening ceremony at General Kahiye Police Academy, the Somali Police Force Commissioner, Bashir Abdi Mohamed, urged the officers to enforce traffic rules and regulations not only to bring order on public roads but also help improve security in the city.
General Mohamed advised participants to make use of the training offered and pass the knowledge acquired to their colleagues. “This training has personal benefits and you will remember it in your daily lives. Secondly, this training is part of the (positive) efforts of the police force, hoping that you will use it to improve the public perception about the police force,” he added.
The Police Commissioner noted that there is need for the Somali Police officers to redouble their efforts to improve the country’s security after decades of conflict, which resulted in the collapse of critical institutions. He urged officers to conduct themselves in a professional manner when dealing with the public, adding that they are the image of the Somali Police Force.
Addressing participants, the Acting AMISOM Police Training and Development Department Coordinator, Leon Ngulube, thanked the officers for participating in the training, saying the exercise will provide them with the requisite knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to perform their duties effectively.
Key Headlines
- Twenty-five Somali Police Officers Undergo Training On Traffic Management (AMISOM)
- Somali Government Sign Fishing Deal With A Chinese Firm In Nairobi (Jowhar.com)
- Benadir Administration Orders Owners To Clear Livestock Off Its Streets (Halbeeg Media)
- Somali Police Officers Trained On Riot-Control Tactics (AMISOM)
- Somalia Vision 2020: One Man One Vote: Challenges And Recommendations (Hiiraan Online)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Somali Government Sign Fishing Deal With A Chinese Firm In Nairobi
05 July – Source: Jowhar.com – 189 Words
Somalia’s Minister of Fisheries and Natural Resources Abdulrahman Mohamed Abdi Hashi has reached an initial agreement with the country’s first foreign fishing company owned by Chinese nations: “Today, we have signed a one-year fishing deal with China’s overseas companies represented by Davy Chen in order to benefit from our marine resources and we will closely monitor fishing companies from China operating in our coastline,” said the Minister during the signing of the pact in Nairobi.
The minister also said fisheries licenses will be awarded to China’s fishing companies, and will closely monitor the fish production and fight against illegal fishing firms in Somalia. Mr Hashi pointed out that the Ministry plans to take advantage of the marine resources space, and also provide better opportunities to the poor and less fortunate members of society.
Also present during the signing of the agreement was the First Secretary of the Somali Embassy in Kenya, Habib Mohamed Egal. The minister also confirmed that President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo would travel to China in September to participate in a fishing conference as well as strengthen bilateral ties between Somalia and China.
Benadir Administration Orders Owners To Clear Livestock Off Its Streets
05 July – Source: Halbeeg News – 170 Words
The administration of Banadir region has ordered officials to clear livestock from the streets of Somali capital of Mogadishu in a new move meant to enhance sanitation, cleanness and ease traffic jam along the main roads. A statement issued by the Mayor of Mogadishu, Abdirahman Omar Osman, on Wednesday banned livestock that move around the streets unguided.
The statement further called on the livestock owners to keep their animals in safe places away from the roads, failure to which they will be fined. “All the people in Mogadishu, particularly the livestock owners who allow their animals to illegally loiter along the streets, are notified that rearing of animals within the city is prohibited” the statement read in apart.
The mayor said livestock owners have two weeks to put into practice the directives issued failure to which the city will confiscate their animals. Along most streets in the capital livestock, especially goats and cattle and other domestic animals, ordinarily roam open fields, roads and sidewalks in search for water and pasture.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somali Police Officers Trained On Riot-Control Tactics
04 July – Source: AMISOM – 544 Words
The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) Police component has embarked on offering specialized training to regional police forces to prepare them for the gradual handover of security responsibility during the transition period. Jubbaland and Darwish police units based in Kismayo are the latest beneficiaries of a training course on public order management for their forces at the Darwish Police Academy in Kismayo. The purpose of the training is to enable police officers contain crowd disturbances like riots, demonstrations and strikes – that occur in urban centres – without the use of lethal weapons.
The Coordinating Officer of AMISOM Police in Jubbaland state, Ernest Martin Abilu, said the purpose of the course was to equip Jubbaland’s riot police with skills on preventing crimes related to public unrest without harming those involved. “This is a requirement for modern policing because when we are handling public crimes, we are not required to use lethal weapons, we use non-lethal weapons because we are dealing with momentary opponents, we are dealing with rioters who are our own citizens and these are not enemies, so we don’t need to injure them,” the AMISOM Police Coordinating Officer for Jubbaland state added.
Mr. Abilu said the officers were trained on how to professionally handle public order crimes including riots, strikes, violent demonstrations and mob justice among others. He noted that the officers who had undergone the training could now comfortably handle public order crimes without maiming or causing death to members of the public.
Col. Mohamed Ahmed Qaato, the Commander of Darwish Police Academy, said the trainings will bring tangible benefits to the officers in protecting the rule of law in communities they serve. “This training helps in preventing riots and other problems that occur and it is an important training provided by AMISOM to Jubbaland forces. We thank AMISOM for the support,” said Col. Qaato.
OPINION, ANALYSIS & CULTURE
“There are many challenges of the one man one vote principle, including the fact that there are no official population census figures to base the voting population on. The last information available on population is from a census conducted in 1975”
Somalia Vision 2020: One Man One Vote: Challenges And Recommendations
04 July – Source: Hiiraan Online – 2333 Words
Somalia’s experience with political parties dates back to the 1940s. In 1947, the Somali Youth League (SYL), one of the country’s first political parties, established offices in Italian Somaliland, British Somaliland and Ogadenia territories under Ethiopian rule. With the overall objective of eventually unifying all Somalis and their territories in one independent state.
Although several political parties emerged during this period, all of them were cross-clan based. After a long struggle Somalia gained independence in 1960. The two territories, British protectorate Somaliland and Italian trusteeship Somalia, were united and became independent states on July 1, 1960.
At that time 33 MPs from British Somaliland and 90 seats the Italian protectorate were elected, totalling 123 MPs for the national Parliament. This Parliament elected the first President of the country, His Excellency Aden Abdulle Osman. Four years after the independence the first post independent election took place whereby 21 political parties participated. SYL won the absolute majority with 69 seats out of 123. Whereby the other 11 political parties shared the remaining 54 seats.
By the 1969 elections, the number of political parties contesting the elections had grown to 80.Many of these parties emerged in the immediate lead up to that election. The SYL expanded its majority to 73 seats. However, when several elected representatives from smaller parties – many of whom had only seen one or two candidates elected – joined SYL, the ruling party’s majority grew to 120.
TOP TWEETS
@HarunMaruf: Letter purportedly written by the leader of Jubbaland Ahmed Madobe to President @M_Farmaajoexpresses “serious concerns” over lack of coordination and consultation from the central command of the Somali National Army (SNA).
@radiogarowe: #Alshabab extremists fire mortar shells at#Kenyan military base in #Fahfahdhuun, #Gedo region southwest of #Somalia. Casualties unknown.
@DalsanFM: Minister of Commerce and Industry: Mohamed Abdi Hayir (Maareeye) and State Minister of Commerce and Industry: Dahir Abdi Abdullahi officially launched Somalia International Transport And Logistics Expo in Mogadishu. The event ends on 7th July.
@khalidawmusse: Good News: It’s a big day for the Agricultural sector of Somalia, from today onwards WFP, FAO and other food agencies will buy from our farmers instead of importing from other countries.
Thank you Minister @Saidhuseniid for motivating our forgotten farmers. Well done #Somalia
@Eye_on_Somalia: Somali Villagers Resist al-Shabab Militants Recruiting Children http://dlvr.it/QZWybl
@AbdirizakOm: EU parliament slams dismal record of HR abuses by FGS.whereas according to the UN Human Rights Office, the National Intelligence &Security Agency of Somalia routinely violates international human rights law; whereas it operates in an extrajudicial mannerhttp://www.europarl.europa.eu/
@amisomsomalia: #AMISOM organized a 10- day training course on traffic management to equip police officers with necessary skills. #Somalia
https://bit.ly/2KRrGTU
IMAGE OF THE DAY
The Somali Police Force Commissioner, Bashir Abdi Mohamed, speaks at the opening ceremony of a Traffic Management Course for Somali Police Force traffic officers held at General Kaahiye Police Academy in Mogadishu.
Photo: AMISOM