October 26, 2016 | Daily Monitoring Report
US Pledges To ‘Deliver Lasting Defeat On Al-Shabaab’
26 October – Source: Daily Nation – 265 Words
The White House on Tuesday condemned recent attacks by Al-Shabaab in Kenya and Somalia, and promised to work to “deliver a lasting defeat to terrorist groups that seek to undermine regional stability.” A statement issued by National Security Council spokesman Ned Price specifically cited Al-Shabaab’s killing on Tuesday of at least 12 people at a guesthouse in Mandera.
The US statement also condemned the Somali insurgents’ attack on an African Union Mission (Amisom) base in central Somalia that, according to the terrorists, killed 17 Djibouti soldiers. “The United States continues to stand with the people of Kenya and Somalia as they work to strengthen their security and expand opportunity for all citizens,” the US said.
“We will continue to work in partnership with regional governments and Amisom to deliver a lasting defeat to terrorist groups that seek to undermine regional stability,” White House said. The militants have also seized towns in central Somalia during the past week following the withdrawal of Ethiopian forces affiliated with Amisom.
Analysts say Al-Shabaab is stepping up operations with the aim of disrupting the election process now under way in Somalia. For its part, the US has also been escalating its military involvement in Somalia.
Key Headlines
- US Pledges To ‘Deliver Lasting Defeat On Al-Shabaab’ (Daily Nation)
- Calm Returns To Afgoye After Al-Shabaab Raid (Shabelle News)
- AMISOM Forces Seize Bomb Explosion Suspect In Beledweyne Hospital (Goobjoog News)
- Prime Minister Meets US Delegation (Radio Muqdisho)
- Minnesota Somali Groups Join To Speak With One Voice At Capitol (Star Tribune)
- Somalia’s Poll Is Progressive (The Star)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Calm Returns To Afgoye After Al-Shabaab Raid
26 October – Source: Shabelle News – 349 Words
Col. Ronald Bigirwa, the African Union Commander of Uganda’s battle group 18, headquartered in Arbiska, three kilometers from the southwestern town said the situation was stable and peaceful. He dismissed media reports that Al-Shabaab militants had overrun the town, after detonating a vehicle loaded with explosives at the police station.
Addressing local media, Col. Bigirwa said reports that the militants had overrun the town was a distortion and exaggeration of the situation on the ground, adding that in the incident, soldiers serving under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) never used their weapons because there was no need to do so. “It (Afgooye) was not overrun. They (Al-Shabaab) never controlled any position apart from the explosion which killed people. It was very unfortunate,” Col. Bigirwa explained adding that his area of responsibility is calm.
“The security situation is generally calm with isolated incidents of insecurity. Al-Shabaab is not controlling any area under the responsibility of my battle group. We have tried to secure the place against attacks,” Col. Bigirwa stated. He however, noted that in last week’s incident in which the police station was destroyed, six police officers, a boy and two civilian women were killed. Both the local police and residents expressed the same views, dismissing reports that the town had been overrun. Col. Noor Hayir Ali, the Head of Operations of the Somali Police Force (SPF) in Lower Shabelle, also refuted claims by the militants that they had taken over the town.
“There was an explosion but this can happen anywhere in the world. Both civilians and police officers died in the explosion. There was an attack but they (Al-Shabaab) did not overrun the town of Afgooye as claimed by the militia. After the attack there was an exchange of gunfire but the situation is now calm and under the control of the Somali forces,” Col. Ali said. Adan Sharif, a resident said, “There was nothing much apart from an attack in which a vehicle loaded with explosives was used but it ended quickly. The situation is normal and people are going about their activities normally.”
AMISOM Forces Seize Bomb Explosion Suspect In Beledweyne Hospital
26 October – Source: Goobjoog News – 129 Words
Amisom forces have seized a man from a hospital in Beledweyne on suspicion he was among the suicide bombers who rammed into a Djibouti military base killing four soldiers and one civilian Tuesday. Goobjoog News correspondent in Beledweyne reports the soldiers conducted massive swoop in Hawlwadag district Wednesdaymorning but declined to speak to reporters on the number of people arrested.
An explosives laden vehicle Tuesday rammed into the Amisom base killing four soldiers and wounding seven others. One civilian was killed and three others suffered injuries. Hiiraan police commander told Goobjoog News the bombers disguised the explosives as animal feeds and drove through a market before reaching the military base. A video footage from the scene of the attacks shows body parts strewn over the place and vehicle remnants.
Prime Minister Meets US Delegation
26 October – Source: Radio Muqdisho – 125 Words
The Deputy Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Mohamed Omar Arteh has met a delegation from the United State’s government. The Prime Minister discussed with the delegation a number of issues including the relationship between the two countries, the fight against terror groups, and preparation for the elections.
“The federalisation process is going on well, on the other side we have made huge progress on the fight against the terror group. We will have elections in our country, this year,” said Arteh. At the same time, the Deputy Prime Minister thanked the US government for its contribution to Somalia’s progress. Meanwhile, the Deputy Prime Minister met with the Ministers of Finance, Planning and officials from the World Bank to discuss the 2017 budget.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Minnesota Somali Groups Join To Speak With One Voice At Capitol
26 October – Source: Star Tribune – 1,012 Words
Minnesota’s largest Somali nonprofits are teaming up to present a unified lobbying front to the state this winter. In recent months, the leaders of eight Somali community groups joined forces on several projects, hired a lobbyist and scored face time with the state’s lieutenant governor. Now, the new coalition is gearing up to ask state legislators for about $11 million for Somali community initiatives, building on $2 million Gov. Mark Dayton earmarked for such projects in this year’s budget.
“Why not combine our separate efforts and do a better collaborative effort?” said Mohamud Noor, head of the Confederation of Somali Community, a coalition member. Spearheaded by the Minneapolis Foundation, the initiative is also a bid to nudge Somali-American nonprofits to better track and report results. A University of Southern California study last year found Somali-Americans celebrate the work of some leaders of 35 registered nonprofits and a host of more informal groups. But they distrust others. Study participants perceived some self-styled community leaders — dubbed “the Pretenders” — as adept at applying for grants but with little to show for it.
The new Coalition of Somali American Leaders will host its first public event Thursday at a Minneapolis Event Centers fundraiser. Last year, the Minneapolis Foundation convened a meeting of local philanthropists to discuss making smarter investments in the Somali community. Of roughly two dozen participants, Hamse Warfa, a program manager at the Cargill Foundation at the time, was the only Somali-American.
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
“The 2016 electoral process is not anything close to perfect, but it is much better than the one in 2012, where only 135 elders voted for MPs who in turn for voted for the President.”
Somalia’s Poll Is Progressive
26 October – Source: The Star – 606 Words
Elections are always intense, starting from the campaign period to the balloting day, and so is Somalia’s indirect electoral process. The campaigns for various positions are underway in the capital Mogadishu and the various regional capitals. On the streets of Kismayo and Mogadishu, one will see large campaign billboards erected by some of these candidates.
This indirect electoral process will culminate in the election of the country’s next President. The process is much different from the 2012 one: This is broad-based, where 14,000 people of the Somali population are expected to be involved. The process to constitute the Upper House is almost complete and the selection of delegates who will vote for the MPs in the Lower House is ongoing. Fifty-one delegates will vote for each MP.
The 2016 electoral process is not anything close to perfect, but it is much better than the one in 2012, where only 135 elders voted for MPs who in turn for voted for the President. Unlike in the last election, this election will involve election of members of two houses, the Upper and Lower House, who will then vote for the President. It is also a break from the past, where the seats were allocated on the 4.5 clan power-sharing formula.
This year, the seats will be allocated on the basis of states and regions. While some may argue the process is incomplete, its advantages outweigh what we had in 2012. More people will participate because at the parliamentary level,voting will take place in at least six cities, including Mogadishu. In 2012, voting for both the President and MPs exclusively took place only in Mogadishu.
The major headache for organisers of this election is security. Al-Shabaab has vowed to disrupt the election and already, it assassinated two famous elders involved in the process. The two were among the 135 clan elders who were tasked with selecting the delegates who will vote for the MPs. Somalia security institutions are very much still a work-in-progress. Securing the election relies on AU peacekeepers.
TOP TWEETS
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@allafrica : Pirates Still Holding Kenyans, Demand Ransom:
@Eye_on_Somalia : #hiiraan Man and his nephew among Mandera attack victims: Two of the 12 people killed on Tuesdayin
ICRC_Africa : “Without us, people would die”: our water & habitat teams explain how we make a difference #Somalia #Nigeria #CAR
IMAGE OF THE DAY
Calm has returned to the southwestern town of Afgooye, following an attack last week where Al-Shabaab detonated a vehicle loaded with explosives at the town’s police station.
Photo: AMISOM