November 21, 2018 | Morning Headlines
South West State Poll Agency: No Candidate Will Be Barred From Presidential Race
20 November – Source: Halbeeg News – 178 Words
South West State electoral committee on Tuesday dismissed reports that the procedures of the election had been changed, a factor that could further delay the state’s presidential election scheduled for next week. In a statement, the committee clarified it will implement the procedures and election conditions set by the previous electoral committee.
“We once again want to make it clear that we will implement the conditions set for the election. There will be no change of the process,” the statement reads in part. The committee also dismissed claims that some candidates contesting for the presidency had been barred from the race.
Last week, South West state replaced 15 members of the electoral committee who resigned early this month over what they termed as blatant interference of the electoral process by the Federal Government of Somalia. The State plans to hold its presidential election on 28th of this month. Key contenders in the race include former Finance Minister of FGS, Mohamed Aden Fargeti and Sheikh Mukhtar Robow, a co-founder of the Al-Shabaab, who has since abandoned the militia group.
Key Headlines
- Southwest State Poll Agency: No Candidate Will Be Barred From Presidential Race (Halbeeg News)
- Puntland President Blamed For ‘Massive Intervention’ In Elections (Garowe Online)
- Beled Hawo Residents To Face Fines For Seeking Legal Redress From Al-Shabaab (Kismaayo.com)
- US Army Says Somalia Air Raids Target Al-Shabaab Kills 37 Fighters (Al-Jazeera)
- Airlines Given Free Rein In Lawless Somalia Route (Standard Digital)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Puntland President Blamed For ‘Massive Intervention’ In Elections
20 November – Source: Garowe Online – 241 Words
The President of Somalia’s northeastern Puntland state, Abdiweli Mohamed Ali “Gaas”, has been accused of attempting to ignite a domestic dispute among members of local clans. Garowe Online has learnt that President Ali is working on ways to influence the electoral process of the regional state’s next parliament, with the aim of luring local clan members to pick his favorite lawmakers, as he prepares to defend his seat in next year’s presidential elections.
The clan dispute over the selection of representatives in the upcoming state assembly, has intensified with some candidates seeking seats in the legislative branch already celebrating their victory in the social media. The President, whose five-year term expires in January 2019, is said to be fueling clan animosities at constituency levels to his benefit. The idea is to engineer poll disputes, which will then be forwarded to the Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC), which he controls, for resolution..
The DRC itself is in the process of being “formally constituted” by the President in consultation with presidential aspirants. “Puntland’s candidates appear not to be paying particular attention to the appointment of members to this committee, as the President proceeds with his electoral manipulation,” said a person, who is familiar with the Puntland election.
The much-awaited Presidential Election of Puntland is scheduled to be held at the beginning of next year, especially on 8th January 2019, with a number of candidates, former ministers and an army chief eyeing the top seat.
Beled Hawo Residents To Face Fines For Seeking Legal Redress From Al-Shabaab
20 November – Source: Kismaayo.com – 95 Words
Any resident of Beled Hawo town in Gedo region found seeking legal redress through Al-Shabaab will be slapped with a fine of $3000, local administration and security officials have directed. In a statement, the officials asked elders to desist from seeking Al-Shabaab’s support or sending those seeking justice to the militants.
The directive comes in the wake of increasing fears in the town as militant incursions kept increasing in the recent past. Beled Hawo District Commissioner recently issued a directive expelling wives and children of Al-Shabaab fighters from the town, which borders Kenya’s Mandera County.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
US Army Says Somalia Air Raids Target Al-Shabaab, Kills 37 Fighters
20 November – Source: Al-Jazeera – 290 Words
The US military says it has carried out air strikes against al-Shabab in Somalia, killing at least 37 suspected fighters. In a statement on Tuesday, the US Africa Command (US AFRICOM) said the two strikes on Monday took place near Debatscile. “Air strikes reduce al-Shabab’s ability to plot future attacks, disrupt its leadership networks, and degrade its freedom of manoeuvre within the region,” the statement said. “We currently assess these strikes did not kill or injure any civilians.”
There was no immediate reaction from al-Shabab, which is fighting to overthrow Somalia’s internationally recognised government. Somali government officials have also not commented on the the statement. US military involvement in Somalia has grown since President Donald Trump early in his term approved expanded operations against al-Shabab. Dozens of drone attacks followed, while this year there have been more than 20 air strikes against the group. Late last year, the military also carried out its first air raid against a small presence of fighters linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group in northern Somalia.
Since the expanded operations, two US military personnel have been killed in Somalia. A soldier died in May 2017 during an operation about 64 km west of the capital, Mogadishu. In June, another US soldier was killed and four others were wounded in an “enemy attack” as Somali and Kenyan forces came under mortar and small-arms fire in Jubaland.
The US currently has about 500 military personnel in the Horn of Africa nation. Al-Shabab was pushed out of the Somali capital, Mogadishu, in recent years but continues to control rural areas in the south and central regions. The al-Qaeda-linked group has been carrying our bomb and gun attacks for more than a decade.
OPINION, ANALYSIS AND CULTURE
“In a recent separate interview, Kenya Civil Aviation Director General Gilbert Kibe said he was yet to receive the complaints, noting that the complainants should write to him directly so that it comes to the attention of the authority.”
Airlines Given Free Rein In Lawless Somalia Route
20 November – Source: Standard Digital – 762 Words
Some local airlines could have taken advantage of the lawlessness in Somalia’s airspace to exploit the country’s aviation rules as well as engage in what could endanger the lives of the crew. At least three passenger aircraft registered by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) have continued to transport excess cargo to and within Somalia months after the regulator directed that only cargo-configured aircraft be allowed to transport goods.
Some of the photographs and videos in possession of Financial Standard show a non-configured Fokker 50 plane – a Dutch manufactured airliner that can carry up to 50 passengers over a distance of 2,000Km being loaded with cargo at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. The aircraft, whose registration number is 5Y – MIS, while doing business within Somalia carried excess cargo weighing more than 7,000 kilograms for several days, a breach of Kenya’s aviation law.
In another instance, the aircraft flew on August 14, 2018 with cargo – a service that was paid for on August 19, 2018 according to invoices seen by Financial Standard. Our investigation showed that the aircraft is owned by Silverstone. Skyward Express is also in the same business, which puts the regulator on the spot. At the heart of the ownership are Mr Isaack Somo, who operates Skyward Express and Jetways while Mohamed Abdi, is the chair of Skyward. Mr Mohamed Somo operates Silverstone. Videos obtained by the investigative team show the planes carrying cargo weighing more than eight tonnes, which according to insiders, is above the permitted weight of five tonnes.
According to sources, most of the aircraft continue doing business in Somalia, ferrying cargo from one town to another in the war-torn country. “The truth of the matter, and this can be verified from the flight plans, these companies are using non-cargo configured Fokker 50 planes to ferry cargo, particularly miraa, to Somalia,” our source claimed. Documents show that on July 23, 2018, another Fokker 50 5Y-SMX flew 5,620kg of cargo out of the country. “This has been happening as early as February with the tacit knowledge of KCAA despite their own directive in January.
There are even invoices showing some airlines enjoying doing cargo business despite the directive,” said the source. When contacted, the chairman of Skyward Express Mohamed Somo referred us to the regulator, whom he said was best placed to say whether his company was in contravention of the law or not. He said his company had since complied with the law. We could not get hold of Isaack Somo of Skyward Express, and by the time of going to press, he had not responded to our text message.
ADDITIONAL SOMALIA NEWS WILL APPEAR IN THE AFTERNOON REPORT
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