November 29, 2016 | Morning Headlines

Main Story

Somalia’s Presidential Election To Be Delayed, Committee Says

28 November – Source: Bloomberg – 117 Words

Somalia’s presidential election, originally scheduled for Nov. 30, will be held at an unspecified later date, the chairman of the war-torn country’s electoral committee said. A new date will be announced after the committee meets with lawmakers, Omar Abdulle Dhegey told reporters Monday in the Somali capital, Mogadishu. Delegates representing Somalia’s clans are currently choosing the Horn of Africa nation’s lawmakers, who in turn will select the new president from more than 10 candidates, including incumbent Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud. Dhegey said there’d been reports of vote-buying and intimidation during the elections for parliament. Somalia’s leaders aren’t selected by popular vote because the electoral commission doesn’t have the capacity to conduct a nationwide poll, Mohamoud said in February.

Key Headlines

Somalia’s Presidential Election To Be Delayed Committee Says (Bloomberg)
Over Twenty People Killed In Clashes Between Al-Shabaab And Locals In Central Somalia (Goobjoog News)
MPs Elected In Lower House Elections In Jowhar Cadaado (Garowe Online)
Kenyan police seize cache of weapons in border region (Xinhua)
Somali Forces Approach Port Town Ready To Attack Islamic State (Reuters)
China Donates $1.2M To AU Mission In Somalia (Africanews)
Mercy Corps: Development Can Help Break The Cycle of Violence For Somali Youth (PRweb)

NATIONAL MEDIA

Over Twenty People Killed In Clashes Between Al-Shabaab And Locals In Central Somalia

28 November – Source: Goobjoog News – 219 Words

Twenty six people have been killed and several others wounded in an ongoing heavy fighting between Al-Shabaab and local militiamen in southern Mudug region in central Somalia. The fighting erupted at Dumaaye village about 50km away from the Al-Shabaab-held Harardhere town after residents took arms against Al-Shabaab over alms or Zakah (an Islamic levy on wealth). Security Minister for Galmudug State in Somalia Osman Isse Nor told reporters that the militants were defeated during the fighting, noting that their attempt to revenge and rob locals failed. “Our forces killed 26 terrorists and more others were injured, Galmudug State forces are part of the battle and supports the locals to fight Al-Shabaab in east of Mudug region,” Isse said. Hussein Hassan, a local resident in Harardhere town said that 20 people from both sides died in the battle while 8 others sustained injuries. “Locals, including nomadic people, took up arms against Al-Shabaab fighters who want to loot their resources, including livestock,” Hassan said. Al-Shabaab adopted monthly Zakat that obliges every nomadic family with 10 heads of livestock to give away at least one, while those rearing as many as 20 are needed to contribute three in alms, according to locals. The group is carrying out hit and run attacks in major towns under government and deadly explosions in the capital Mogadishu.

MPs Elected In Lower House Elections In Jowhar, Cadaado

28 November – Source: Garowe Online – 265 Words

The ongoing parliamentary elections in Hirshabelle and Galmudug regional states, saw the elections of several MPs, who are close allies of Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mahamud. In Jowhar, the regional capital of the newly established Hirshabelle state, 2 candidates have secured seats for the upcoming Lower House chamber of Federal Parliament. The results showed that Amino Mohamed Abdi has won majority of 26 votes against her rivals, whereas Dr. Husain Abdi Elmi received 34 votes to triumph over his contenders for the seat. Amino is an outgoing Federal MP and a member of the ruling Peace and Development Party (PDP). However, in Adado town, it was reported that Ahmed Moalin Fiqi has retained his seat after beating his rival candidate Abdisalam Hajji after receiving 49 votes. Fiqi was the former Head of Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) and the chairman of Daljir Political party. In the same elections, the outgoing Federal MP, Ubah Tahlil has also secured a seat after securing 32 votes against rival candidates. However, the Lower House election in Hirshabelle state has resumed following last week’s suspension by FIEIT over violence in the voting hall. In a recent statement released by Somalia’s electoral bodies, it was reported that the ongoing parliamentary elections in Jubaland, Galmudug, Hirshabelle and Southwest had cases of electoral malpractices, vote rigging and intimidation of candidates and delegates. Parliamentary election was scheduled to be wrapped up in November 23, as the new lawmakers will vote for the new President in November 30, but recurrent delays to the deadlines is expected to push back the Presidential election to mid December.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Kenyan police seize cache of weapons in border region

28 November – Source: Xinhua – 305 Words
Kenya’s security officers have recovered deadly arsenal and weapons buried outside a commercial residential house in Bula Sagare in the outskirts of Garissa town near the Somali border. Northeastern Regional Coordinator Mohamud Saleh said on Monday that the weapons which included an AK 47 riffle, 210 rounds of ammunitions, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), a hand grenade, and a fully loaded suicide bomber jacket were recovered on Sunday night. Saleh said a member of the public stumbled on the weapons that were buried underground in a plastic container following heavy rains that have been pounding the area. Saleh said that the informant later reported the matter at the Garissa police station where officers moved swiftly and on arrival discovered the deadly weapons. Saleh said no arrest has been made so far, but added that the police are following leads that will lead to arrest. “With the help of members of the public we have been able to preempt several attacks and recovered weapons that could have caused mass destruction,” said Saleh.

He added that this is the third time in Garissa town that the security apparatus have recovered such huge arsenal, thanks to intelligence that involved members of the public volunteering information to security agencies. Saleh who was flanked by top regional and county security officers said that some of the weapons were so deadly and could bring down a storeyed building or destroy the Tana Bridge. “We are not yet out of the woods. With the current rains pounding many parts of the region, the terror groups are able to cross the border and travel long distances to perpetuate their heinous crimes,” he added. The East African nation blames Al-Shabaab terror group for a string of attacks and kidnappings in Kenya. The Kenyan government says the kidnappings threaten tourism, a key source of revenue for the country.

Somali Forces Approach Port Town, Ready To Attack Islamic State

28 November – Source: Reuters – 223 Words

Hundreds of pro-government Somali forces began moving toward the port town of Qandala on Monday for an offensive against Islamic State fighters who seized it last month, Qandala’s mayor said. The forces include militia fighters, soldiers from the semi-autonomous region of Puntland and fighters from the same clan as Abdiqadir Mumin, the Somali insurgent leader who has pledged allegiance to Islamic State, Somali security officials said. “We and our forces left Bosaso today with the intention to capture Qandala, which is now only 100 km (60 miles) away from us. We shall keep on moving until we liberate the town,” Jamac Mohamed Khurshe told Reuters.

Bosaso is a major Somali city. There were at least 400 clan fighters, an official added, but he did not know the size of the other two components of the pro-government forces. Mumin and his men splintered from al Shabaab, a much larger Islamist insurgent force that is fighting the Western-backed Somali government to impose a strict interpretation of sharia law. No evidence has yet emerged of major operational ties between Mumin’s men and Islamic State in the Middle East. Qandala is the first town Mumin’s men took since emerging as a rival force to Al-Shabaab a year ago. Residents in villages along the road to Qandala said Mumin’s men planted numerous bombs along the route.

China Donates $1.2M To AU Mission In Somalia

28 November – Source: Africanews – 566 Words

The Chinese government has donated $1.2m towards peace efforts in Somalia. The donation will be going to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). Smail Chergui, the African Union (AU) Commissioner for Peace and Security, used his official twitter handle to make the announcement on Monday. Ambassador Kuang Weilin signed for the Chinese government while Chergui signed for the AU. AMISOM together with the Somali National Army (SNA) are largely in charge of security in the country. The AU forces have come under repeated attacks from militant group, al-Shabaab, who are fighting to establish an Islamic government. The Al Qaeda-linked group have claimed responsibility for several deadly attacks on civilians and on government and international security forces. They still hold some regions in the country even though their capabilities are thought to be waning. Their recent fortunes have been allied to the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops in parts of the country. The withdrawals are said to be due to unrest back home, but the Ethiopian government denies that.

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in a report officially labeled al-Shabaab militants as a transnational security threat in the East African region. According to the report titled Al-Shabaab as a Transnational Security Threat. the group could be likened to the Islamic State group, with capabilities to recruit young people beyond its power base. The report stated that al-Shabab (real name Harakaat Al-Shabaab Al-Mujaahidiiin) had long been perceived as a Somali-organization even though it represented a threat to the wider East African region. Recently, the Burundian government served notice that it could withdraw its troops from the AMISOM citing the non payment of troops as the main reason for the threat of withdrawal.

OPINION , CULTURE & ANALYSIS

“Combined with education, giving youth the ability to help their communities fulfills a desire to do something positive, meaningful and impactful.”

Mercy Corps: Development Can Help Break The Cycle of Violence For Somali Youth

28 November – Source: PRweb – 335 Words

A multi-year Mercy Corps program demonstrates that the combination of education and civic engagement plays a critical role in disrupting the path toward violence for Somali youth. Critical Choices, an analysis of Mercy Corps’ Somali Youth Leaders Initiative, shines a light on a proven method to address underlying drivers of political violence, including violent extremism. “Education plays a critical role in creating an environment where youth are engaged in learning and feel less isolated and excluded,” says Beza Tesfaye, Conflict and Governance Manager for Mercy Corps and author of the report. “However, education on its own does not address young people’s frustrations with feelings of injustice and being unable to make a positive difference in their communities.” Mercy Corps found that when combining secondary education with civic engagement opportunities such as community action campaigns, youth’s propensity to participate in violence dropped by 14 percent. Their propensity to support violence dropped by 20 percent.

The Somali Youth Leaders Initiative – funded by the United States Agency for International Development – aims to benefit more than 150,000 youth and reach millions more youth, educators, government officials and community members. The program improves access to education and quality of learning by expanding and rehabilitating school facilities, training teachers and providing non-formal education to out-of-school youth. Civic engagement opportunities include environmental clean-up days, education contests and advocacy. “Youth account for more than 75 percent of Somalia’s population and represent both the hope for a bright future and a possible source of instability,” says Tesfaye. “Combined with education, giving youth the ability to help their communities fulfills a desire to do something positive, meaningful and impactful.” Mercy Corps calls on the government of Somalia and the international community working in Somalia to increase investments in programs that expand access to both education and civic engagement. Global policy makers can leverage these findings to develop effective policies and programs to address the underlying drivers of violence and violent extremism worldwide.