October 19, 2016 | Morning Headlines
Newly Elected Senators From Galmudug On First Assignment In Jowhar
18 October – Source: Goobjoog News – 191 Words
Senators from Galmudug regional state who were elected last week started off their senatorial duties by visiting Jowhar and observing the election of a new President for the newly formed HiirShabelle regional state. The Senators, eight in number who were elected last week were accompanied by Galmudug President Abdikarim Gulled. The upper house as provided for in article 71 of the Provisional Constitution 2012 is primarily tasked with representing and protecting the interests of the Federal States. These include legislating on matters affecting the state’s, revenue allocation and generally acting as guardians of devolution.
The Upper House will also be involved in legislative processes with the Lower House and also participate jointly with the Lower House in the impeachment of the President as provided for in article 92 of the constitution.Ali Abdullahi Osoble was elected President of HiirShabelle where Hiiraan and Middle Shabelle regions in central Somalia join to form the regional state. Ali Abdullahi Hussein was elected deputy president. The remaining five regional states are yet to start the election of senators. Puntland has confirmed it will start the exercise Saturday. The senators will be sworn in November.
Key Headlines
- Newly Elected Senators From Galmudug On First Assignment In Jowhar (Goobjoog News)
- AMISOM and UNOCHA Hold First Regional Civil-Military Working Group Meeting In Baidoa (SONNA)
- Somali Intelligence Detains Al Jazeera Journalist (Radio Dalsan)
- Somali Troops Battle Al-Shabaab Fighters In Afgoye (Aljazeera)
- One Killed As Police Engage Shabaab Gunmen In Mandera (Daily Nation)
- ‘The Mayor of Mogadishu’ –Predicting Hope Beyond Somalia’s Struggles (Capital FM Kenya)
NATIONAL MEDIA
AMISOM and UNOCHA Hold First Regional Civil-Military Working Group Meeting In Baidoa
18 October – Source: SONNA – 353 Words
African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) have held the first Regional Civil-Military Working Group meeting in Baidoa to discuss humanitarian facilitation challenges in Bay, Bakool and Gedo regions. The participants were drawn from local and international non-governmental organizations (NGO), UN agencies based in Baidoa as well as an AMISOM team from Mogadishu consisting of Civil Affairs, Gender, Humanitarian Liaison Unit (HLU), Civilian Casualty Tracking, Analysis, and Response Cell (CCTARC) and Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC).
Speaking in Baidoa, AMISOM Humanitarian Liaison Unit Officer, Jackson Robert Basoronga, said the objective of the meeting was to deliberate on the challenges humanitarian workers face and how AMISOM can facilitate their work in line with the Somalia Humanitarian Civil-Military Guidelines. “We came to convene and establish, for the first time, a civil-military coordination forum in Baidoa. AMISOM is mandated to facilitate and create the necessary security conditions for the provision of humanitarian assistance in South-Central Somalia. We are required to create safe environment for humanitarian actors to discuss issues with AMISOM in a way that protects their operational independence,” Basoronga said.
He termed the meeting a success, noting that key challenges can be easily resolved if various actors come together and share information. “The meeting was a success because we had a number of NGOs and UN agencies participating and we were able to discuss issues affecting humanitarian operations. We reached a common understanding with the partners and military on how to address some of the issues that are affecting the humanitarian partners in Bakool and Bay region,” Basoronga added.The NGOs identified limited interaction between AMISOM and humanitarian actors in resolving issues as one of the major challenges. The meeting agreed to develop a reliable coordination mechanism to ensure humanitarian supplies were safely delivered to parts of Bay, Bakool and Gedo. The establishment of the Regional Civil-Military Working Group in Baidoa follows the formation of similar ones in Belet Weyne and Kismayo. AMISOM and UNOCHA also plan to establish other working groups in Dhobley and Jowhar to discuss challenges and forge ways of addressing humanitarian facilitation issues.
Somali Intelligence Detains Al Jazeera Journalist
18 October – Source: Radio Dalsan- 89 Words
Somali Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) have arrested AlJazeera correspondent in the country. Hamza Mohamed and two other cameramen were detained on Tuesday evening in Mogadishu. Banadir regional state spokesman, Abdifatah Halane has confirmed to Radio Dalsan in an exclusive interview. Halane said NISA arrested AlJazeera producer and two other cameramen while entering the city. He added that two of their drivers were released after questioning. The journalists are been held at intelligence prison inside Mogadishu are said to have interviewed senior figures of armed group in the country
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somali Troops Battle Al-Shabaab Fighters In Afgoye
18 October – Source: Aljazeera – 221 Words
Intense battles between Somali troops and Al-Shabaab fighters have broken out in Afgoye, a city about 30km northwest of the capital Mogadishu, according to security sources and witnesses. Local authorities told Reuters news agency that at least four police officers were killed on Tuesday when a suicide attacker rammed a bomb-laden car into a police station, and then fighters stormed the area. “Fierce fighting is taking place in several bases in Afgoye, one of which came under attack from a booby-trapped car,” Abdulakir Ahmed, a local security official, told AFP news agency.
Al-Shabab, which has been carrying out a series of deadly bombings throughout Somalia, claimed responsibility for the attack. In a statement, the armed group said it had
recaptured the town, which it evacuated in May 2012 after coming under attack from the Somali army and African Union peacekeepers.
There was no independent confirmation of the reported capture of Afgoye. Resident Amin Moalim said the town had been taken by surprise and “people are hiding in their houses and those who stayed outside have fled”. “I saw wounded civilians and Somali soldiers as well,” he told AFP. “We don’t know who is controlling the city so far because heavy exchange of gunfire is going on.” Al-Shabab has carried out numerous attacks in Somalia to try to topple the western-backed government.
One Killed As Police Engage Shabaab Gunmen In Mandera
18 October – Source: Daily Nation- 354 Words
One person was killed on Monday night when police guarding Governor Ali Roba’s residence clashed with Al-Shabaab gunmen in Mandera Town.The man, a passer-by who was initially identified as security guard at a local primary school, was hit by a stray bullet as the police exchanged fire with the militants, who were said to be planning an attack.Gunshots and explosions were heard in the town throughout the night, police confirmed.Mandera County commissioner Fredrick Shisia said at about 11pm, three suspected militia men dressed in hijabs were seen within Mandera Town by security officers.“They tried to stop a security vehicle attached to the governor that was on patrol and it defied leading to a shootout,” he said. “They were dressed in hijab and the police took cover and started shooting and in process someone chewing miraa in the vicinity was hit by a stray bullet. He is not a guard as has been reported,” he said.
The administrator said the Nyumba Kumi (community policing) initiative in Mandera is challenged by the fact that the people are not active in sharing information with security agents.There is also fear in the community created by Al-Shabaab that any one sharing information could be eliminated, Mr Shisia said, adding they are addressing these issues for Nyumba Kumi to work effectively.He said the experienced attacks in Mandera are catalysed by high presence of Al-Shabaab sympathisers and their strong intelligence team.
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
“The Mayor of Mogadishu, a Story of Chaos and Redemption in the Ruins of Somalia: is a fine account told from the horse’s mouth with a high level of objectivity.Such an interesting read that it engulfs readers with its descriptive language and a real life account that demonstrates that despite the life threatening hurdles that Somalia faces on a daily basis, it proves that the struggles have not been in vain.
‘The Mayor of Mogadishu’ –Predicting Hope Beyond Somalia’s Struggles
18 October – Source : Capital FM, Kenya – 870 Words
It has been an argument that Africa’s story can best be told by Africans themselves. Of course, it is an argument many people especially a journalist like myself strongly hold.Renowned and seasoned journalist Andrew Harding didn’t give this argument a second thought when he resigned as BBC’s Africa Correspondent in 2015 to concentrate on his book about Somalia.His mind was clear that he wanted to share the story of his life after years of appalling encounter with captives, victims, survivors and heroes of nasty situations of disease, drought, war, terrorism, piracy, poverty and among others in a shaky nation whose democracy, peace and freedom were anathema.
In his book, ‘The Mayor of Mogadishu’, Harding gives an in-depth account of Somalia through the lens of Mahamud ‘Tarzan’ Nur and his own rich experience as a journalist who frequently visited the country since 2000 and interacted with the people and their culture.The book takes us through Tarzan’s journey as he grew up through hardship to become the Mayor of Mogadishu until recently.“He is quite a charismatic, divisive figure like most Somali politicians. Some people think he is great; some people think he is terrible.
But he is an interesting man,” Harding opined during an interview with Capital FM News.“But what I wanted to do with the book was to dig into his past; to dig into his childhood to find out what made him and as I looked into it I realised that his life story in a way tells the story of the last 60 years in Somalia.”‘Tarzan’ was born to a poor family in Ethiopia’s Ogaden but found his way in Somalia after he was dumped in an orphanage.His boldness as a young ambitious yet a witty boy earned him the nickname ‘Tarzan’ same way John Clayton was featured as a fictional character raised in an African jungle.