November 17, 2014 | Morning Headlines.
Parliament fails for a second time to sack Somalia’s Prime Minister
16 Nov – Source: Diplomat.so/Geeska Afrika/Radio RBC – 322 Words
The Federal Parliament of Somalia has held Saturday a session to discuss a motion to withdraw confidence from Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed, but ended with disorders and did not distribute the motion papers to the members of Parliament as a result of the turmoil and chaos. This is the second meeting in a week that the Somali parliament failed to continue his duties due of the thorny differences between allies of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and his Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed Mohamed to convene an extraordinary session of no-confidence vote on the Prime Minister and his Cabinet. Dozens of MPs loyal to Prime Minister ripped attendance book of Parliament and sang patriotic songs in order to confuse the voice of the speaker of parliament Mohamed Sheikh Osman Jawaari, who called for PMs to respect the rules of the Parliament but the lawmakers ignored these calls and continued chaos. The Constitution, the Prime Minister and his government will fall, if more than 139 vote against him.
Key Headlines
- Mogadishu car bomb blast kills immigration officer (Garowe Online)
- Al Shabab militants confront with local herdsmen in Hiran region at least one killed (Radio RBC)
- Parliament fails for a second time to sack Somalia’s Prime Minister (Diplomat.so/Geeska Afrika/Radio RBC)
- Jubaland forces officially integrated into National Army (Garowe Online)
- Number of foreign footballers joining Somalia clubs increased (Radio RBC)
- UPDF officers trained unauthorised Somalis: witness (Daily Monitor)
- ICJ to hear Kenya Somalia petitions (The East African)
- Floods displace thousands in Somalia’s Beledweyne (Press TV)
- Somali community warns bank transfer crackdown could lead to terror funding (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
- Chinese embassy donates aid stuff to Somali hospital (Xinhuanet.com)
SOMALI MEDIA
Mogadishu car bomb blast kills immigration officer
16 Nov – Source: Garowe Online – 167 Words
Car bomb Sunday exploded on Maka Al Mukarama road in Mogadishu, killing immigration officer working at Adan Adde International airport and civilian bystander according to health officials, Garowe Online reports. Police say, the bomb was attached beneath the seat of the airport official who was identified as Mukhtar Dhere. Mukhtar Dhere was pronounced dead at Daru Shifa hospital after he sustained serious injuries to the lower part of his body, sources disclosed. Security forces immediately arrived at the site of the blast, cordoning off the road connecting Dabka to Sayidka junction through where the targeted car was tracing. Suicide bombings have been on the increase over the last few days, with at least two lawmakers succumbing to car bomb blasts.
Al Shabab militants confront with local herdsmen in Hiran region, at least one killed
16 Nov – Source: Radio RBC – 217 Words
At least one herdsman was killed and two others were wounded after the militants of Al Shabab clashed with local Somali herdsmen in a small village near Bulo burte town of Somalia’s central region of Hiran. According to Bulo burte District Commissioner Osman Gedi Elmi, the fighting between the local herdsmen and the fighters of Al Shabab begun on Saturday after the militants asked the local herdsmen to pay livestock of camels and goats as forced Zakah usually taken by Al Shabab militias. The local herdsmen rejected the demands from Al Shabab and started gathering light weapons to resist the fighters of Al Shabab who returned the next day to collect the livestock from the locals, but the fighting started. “One of the local herdsmen was killed and two others were wounded as the fighters of Al Shabab fled from the area.” the DC said. Meanwhile on Sunday, Somali government forces sent reinforcement to assist the local herdsmen as the forces of the government provided ammunition and other support to the local people to fight against Al Shabab. There has been growing tensions between Al Shabab and the locals in many parts of the regions of Hiiraan, Middle Shabelle and Lower Shabelle following demands of forced Sakah by Al Shabab against the locals in these regions.
Parliament fails for a second time to sack Somalia’s Prime Minister
16 Nov – Source: Diplomat.so/Geeska Afrika/Radio RBC – 322 Words
The Federal Parliament of Somalia has held Saturday a session to discuss a motion to withdraw confidence from Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed, but ended with disorders and did not distribute the motion papers to the members of Parliament as a result of the turmoil and chaos. This is the second meeting in a week, the Somali parliament fails to continue his duties due of the thorny differences between allies of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and his Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed Mohamed to convene an extraordinary session of no-confidence vote on the Prime Minister and his Cabinet. Dozens of MPs loyal to Prime Minister ripped attendance book of Parliament and sang patriotic songs in order to confuse the voice of the speaker of parliament Mohamed Sheikh Osman Jawaari, who was calls for PMs to respect the rules of the Parliament but the lawmakers ignored these calls and continued chaos. As the Constitution, the Prime Minister and his government will fall, if more than 139 vote against him.
Jubaland forces officially integrated into National Army
16 Nov – Source: Garowe Online – 181 Words
As Al Shabaab militants are intensifying their drive in the fertile hinterland along Jubba River, a 9-point agreement between Somalia’s Federal Government and Jubaland administration has signaled a new milestone in the fight against terror on Friday, Garowe Online reports. Jubaland President Sheikh Ahmed Mohamed Islam (Madobe) witnessed the signing ceremony at Kismayo presidential palace, urging Mogadishu-based central government to implement and right away honor the strategic integration plan. The agreement states that Jubaland forces will be considered as National army troops from the date on which the bilateral deal comes into effect, Federal government will provide the only credible fighting force in Jubaland with the much-needed military gears and trainings, the renovation of now defunct 43rd and 60th army bases in Jubaland and the provision of capacity building support to Jubaland police force. The agreement came after Federal Government of Somalia’s Ministers for Interior, Finance and Defence paid a two day visit to the southern port city of Kismayo. Jubaland gained recognition from Mogadishu-based central government in August 2013 following IGAD-brokered intense bilateral talks in Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa.
Number of foreign footballers joining Somalia clubs increased
16 Nov – Source: Radio RBC/Mareeg.com – 340 Words
The increase of foreign football professionals in Somalia is seen as a ‘significant’ mark for soccer progression in the country. For the first time in Somalia’s football history, last year the country’s Nation Link Telecom championship attracted at least 8 foreign players, and the current champions Banadir Sports Club were recognized as the pioneers for transferring foreign players. But now with more than a month to go since the beginning of the country’s top football league, the number of foreign players in the country increased, as more clubs transferred foreign players from different African Countries. “The show up of foreign players in the country is very noteworthy—some six clubs in the national league have transferred more players, so this is a remarkable progress for Somalia which is now recovering from decades-long anarchy” Somali Football Federation Media Officer Shafi’i Mohyaddin Abokar (ISLOW) said in a press statement on Sunday.
He said that the appearance of international professionals in Somali league was also an outstanding marketing step for the country whose football has mainly been dependent on the financial assistance from FIFA. The statement went on to say that the lawless atmosphere in Somalia was preventing the country from attracting international sponsors, but now that the situation is returning to normal the SFF and its clubs were eying on local and international sponsorships. “Somali football is now recuperating from the wounds caused by the lack of stability we experienced for dozens of years and the path for more progress has now reopened” SFF Media Officer Shafi’i Mohyaddin Abokar (ISLOW) explained in his press statement. Below is the names of foreign players in the country, the clubs they joined and as well as their countries.
HEEGAN FC: Mohamed Zubairu (Nigeria), Samsoniyke Chukwu (Nigeria)
GAADIIDKA: Lehman Meheso Mwenza (Kenya)
SAHAFI FC: Ambrose Mumo kula kalatai (Kenya)
ELMAN FC: Elungat Martin, (Uganda) Ntaabazi Mubiru Eddie (Uganda) and Mugsha Ivan (Uganda).
DEKADDA: Zubeir Yossuf Oduori (Kenya) OKoro Mattias Ogbokiri (Nigeria)
BANADIR SPORTS CLUB: Marcel Odhambo Oyugi (Kenya) Thomas Mwancu Cuihobi (Kenya) and Mustapha .I. Maxwell (Nigeria).
REGIONAL MEDIA
UPDF officers trained unauthorised Somalis – witness
15 Nov – Source: Daily Monitor – 310 Words
A UPDF soldier on Friday told a military court that his superiors carried out unauthorised training of Somali nationals outside the school’s training calendar, contrary to the army rules. Pte Ronald Madozo Begyerize, a former course coordinator at Al-Jazeera Training Centre in Somalia, testified that Maj Frank Kaweru and Capt Hassan Wantimba induced unauthorised training of 19 Somali civilians outside the army schedule. “On the training calendar, the security guards’ training was not provided for and the calendar was meant to guide the trainers to carry out their work in a specified period. When I asked one of the instructors, he told me they teach guards of a certain hotel at Al-Jazeera,” he testified. Pte Begyerize was testifying against two army officers Maj Frank Kaweru and Capt. Hassan Wantimba before the General Court Martial in Makindye chaired by Gen Levi Karuhanga. It is alleged that in May 2013 while at Al-Jazeera Training Centre in Mogadishu, Maj Kaweru and Capt Wantimba as officer in charge of training at Amisom headquarters and administrative officer respectively, induced the UPDF instructors to train 19 Somali civilians outside the school’s training calendar.
ICJ to hear Kenya, Somalia petitions
15 Nov – Source: The East African – 328 Words
The International Court of Justice has fixed timelines for Kenya and Somalia to file initial pleadings for their maritime boundary dispute over oil exploration blocks. Somalia has laid claim to Kenya’s exploration blocks L-5, L-21, L-22, L-23, L24 and L-25, arguing the border runs continuously from land into the ocean, diagonally from the northwest to the southeast instead of directly east. Somalia has up to July 13 2015 to file a petition on the delimitation of the Indian Ocean while Kenya has to submit a counter-petition by May 27, 2016. In a suit against Kenya filed on August 28, Mogadishu wants the ICJ to determine the geographical co-ordinates and single maritime boundary delimiting territorial seas, including the continental shelf beyond the 200 nautical miles limit. Somalia has appointed Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Abdirahman Dualeh as the agent through whom all court communications can be sent and Elmi Ahmed Duale as deputy agent. Kenya has appointed its ambassador to the Netherlands Makena Muchiri as agent and Attorney-General Githu Muigai as co-agent.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Floods displace thousands in Somalia’s Beledweyne
16 Nov – Source: Press TV – 2:09 Minutes
Thousands have been displaced in Somalia’s south central town of Beledweyne after the Shabelle River broke its banks causing a renewed humanitarian crisis. Torrential rains for the past weeks have forced families to settle at nearby military camps in the hope of getting immediate assistance. These homeless people in their thousands now appeal for urgent help from aid organizations. Aid agencies are warning that the floods are likely to worsen the already fragile food security situation with more than a million people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance across Somalia. African Union forces from the Djibouti contingent are monitoring and assisting the displaced but they say the aid is not enough to address the current crisis. As for these people, they will remain in such makeshift camps for a while until water levels reduce in the Shabelle River and hope for immediate humanitarian assistance.
Somali community warns bank transfer crackdown could lead to terror funding
16 Nov – Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation – 561 Words
Australia’s Somali community is warning that the threat posed by terror groups in the African country could increase because of tough banking regulations that prevent them from sending money home. Westpac is the last of the major banks facilitating money transfers between Australia and Somalia, but it will end the service later this month. The move by Australian banks has been in response to tougher international banking regulations in regards to crime and terror funding. But the crackdown leaves Australia’s 20,000-strong Somali community with no legal way to transfer money home. Melbourne nurse Nasro Yussf warned this could make people turn to crime to secure the basics for their families. Ms Yussf sends $400 to her family each month to pay for food, shelter and the education of two of her cousins. She said if she could not continue to send money home, her cousins would be pulled out of school. “Basic necessities like food and shelter and education and health are reliant on the diaspora community and if that stops then people are going to turn to crime,” Ms Yussf said. “People will seek help or accept help from (terror group) Al Shabab, (who) say ‘we’ll support your every move if you can feed us’.
Chinese embassy donates aid stuff to Somali hospital
15 Nov – Source: Xinhuanet.com – 333 Words
The Chinese embassy in Somalia on Saturday donated aid stuff to a hospital in the country’s capital, Mogadishu. The aid stuff, consisting of food, drinks, medicines and tanks of fuel, was delivered to Banadir Mother and Child Hospital, which was built for Somalia by the Chinese government in 1970s. Chinese Ambassador to Somalia Wei Hongtian handed the aid to Somalia’s acting minister of health. “Health is important for all members of the community, and every person needs a healthy life, specially mothers and children. Today I am very happy to present the different kinds of aid Chinese Embassy donated to Banadir hospital,” Wei said. “This hospital was built by China in 1977 and Chinese doctors have been working in this hospital for a long time to help the Somali people, and that was a good sign of the friendship between the two nations and their people,” continued the ambassador.
SOCIAL MEDIA
CULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / ANALYSIS / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDS
“The power struggle would have been ignored by Kenya and other neighbouring countries were its implications for regional and international security not so dire. International partners like the United States have already begun showing frustration by boycotting a conference next week in Denmark on Somalia and are threatening to cut financial aid.”
Somali leaders must act decisively for country’s sake
16 Nov – Source: Daily Nation – 408 Words
Somalia’s Parliament was yesterday turned into a house of dishonour as legislators swapped the decorum of rational debate for chaotic shouting matches and placard-waving in a battle over a proposed vote of no-confidence against the Prime Minister. The scene in the House was yet another instalment in the debilitating bickering of Somalia’s politics. The cast may be slightly different, but the script is the same. At the centre of the drama are President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed. Just 10 months after the Prime Minister’s predecessor was forced out, the political stalemate has frozen government operations and created a situation that extremist groups like al-Shabaab have been exploiting. The Prime Minister cannot, for example, freely exercise his powers to appoint and dismiss Cabinet ministers because of hurdles placed by the President and his allies in Parliament. There have also been allegations that a corrupt network of presidential advisers that runs a “parallel government” has been harassing state officers and frustrating some like the respected Central Bank Governor Yussur Abrar into resigning.