September 13, 2016 | Morning Headlines
PRESS STATEMENT
IGAD Summit To Kick Off In Mogadishu
13 September – Source: Office Of The Somali President – 184 Words
Heads of State and Government from the Intergovernmental Authority (IGAD) are expected to hold their summit in the Somali capital, Mogadishu for the first time since the regional body was established in 1986.
The summit is expected to kick off this morning with the attendance of the seven member states, which are the Federal Republic of Somalia, Republic of Sudan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Djibouti, Republic of South Sudan, Republic of Ethiopia and Republic of Uganda.
The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, HE Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, said the summit will discuss the crisis of South Sudan, the ongoing preparations of Somalia elections and other crucial businesses and cooperation among the member states.
“This is a great moment for Somalia. Hosting such a high-profile summit is a clear indication of recognition from the region and the international community to the progress the country has been making towards building a new Somalia, after more than two decades of anarchy. I thank the people of Somalia for their commitment to ensure our country regains its reputation in the international arena’’, said the President.
Key Headlines
- IGAD Summit To Kick Off In Mogadishu (Office Of The Somali President)
- Somalia Introduces New Security Measures Ahead Of IGAD Summit (Garowe Online)
- Somalia President Furious At Criticism By Opposition (Garowe Online)
- Tens Of Thousands Mark Eidul Adha In Nairobi’s Eastleigh Estate (Hiiraan Online)
- Somali Leader Offers Pardon To Rebels (The East African)
- Somalia Launches National Strategy To Counter Extremism (Xinhua)
- AU Forces Arrest 2 Al-Shabaab Bombers In Somalia (Xinhua)
- UN AU Military Engineers Seek To Enhance Operations In Somalia (Xinhua)
- Clans A Major Obstacle For Women Vying In Somalia polls (The East African)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Somalia Introduces New Security Measures Ahead Of IGAD Summit
12 September – Source: Garowe Online – 225 Words
The National intelligence and security agency (NISA) of Somalia has introduced new security measures ahead of IGAD summit in Mogadishu. Gen Abdullahi Gafow, the chief of Somali intelligence agency made the announcement on Sunday in a statement which sent stern warning to soldiers and private security firms.
Anyone found carrying a weapon in the city from Sunday, 11th September till IGAD summit ends will be apprehended and face consequence, read NISA statement. NISA’s Special Forces will take control of the city’s security during the upcoming IGAD summit which is set to open in Mogadishu on Tuesday 13 September.
As part of the new plan, more security forces were deployed on the roads and their presence become “more visible”. Somalia’s President on Friday has urged citizens to remain patient and cooperate with the security forces to secure the high level event. The main roads of Mogadishu remained blocked for the third consecutive day, a step that Somali government took to prevent possible raids by Al Shabaab militants during the IGAD summit.
Leaders from the IGAD bloc – Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda – are expected to arrive on Tuesday to Mogadishu and attend the summit, Somali official said. The summit will focus on political and security progress in Somalia, the upcoming 2016 elections, and the political crisis in South Sudan.
Somalia President Furious At Criticism By Opposition
13 September – Source: Garowe Online – 281 Words
In a video rant posted online, Federal Government of Somalia’s (FGS) President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud reacted to a lot of criticism levelled against his government by challengers in the 2016 Presidential vote, Garowe Online reports. Defiant Mohamud–whose Presidential tenure came to an end on September 10 said–the criticism aimed at policies of his administration does no purpose but just achieving a “political objective” in his first reaction to calls for him to step aside for the Speaker of Parliament, Mohamed Sheikh Osman (Jawari).
Presidential hopefuls have recently ratcheted up critiques of Mohamud’s drive to cling on to power following September 12 deadline. He advised contenders to abandon “grazing the government” for the sake of delivering incendiary words. Mohamud’s remarks have come on the heels of a blueprint drafted anew regarding the structure of the Upper House of federal parliament.
The debate over seats distribution in the Upper House has remained a moot point in Mogadishu political talks by the weekend.
Tens Of Thousands Mark Eidul Adha In Nairobi’s Eastleigh Estate
12 September – Source: Hiiraan Online – 236 Words
Thousands of Muslims have come to the praying grounds to Mark Eidul Adha in the Somali predominant estate of Eastleigh, Nairobi Kenya today. They included different cross-sections of the society; some went to mosques for the prayers while others crowded the fields. They included men and women; the young and the old.
They were dressed in beautifully designed and patterned new clothes and were apparently jovial. This is the very day, the millions of Muslim faithful who went to pilgrimage gather for prayers to Allah at Arrafah grounds in Mekka. Many religious clerics have delivered speeches at Eastleigh High School along with public figures and politicians notably, the Kamukunji Area MP, Hon. Yussuf Hassan.
Hon. Yussuf urged Muslims to not let go Kamukunji’s parliamentary seat as it is the only one Muslims have in the entire Nairobi County.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somali Leader Offers Pardon To Rebels
12 September – Africa Review – 170 Words
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud has once again offered a pardon to anyone renouncing the Al-Shabaab and the Al-Qaeda jihadist groups. He extended the olive branch Monday morning when he joined worshippers at the Isbahaysiga Islaamka(Islamic solidarity) mosque in Mogadishu. The prayers marked the start of the Idd-ul-Adha Islamic festival.
Militant groups
“Once again, my pledge to the youth fighting for Al-Shabaab is to come back to their societies and join the rebuilding Somalia,” said the president. President Mohamoud has on several occasions offered pardon to anyone renouncing the Islamic militant groups. Also attending the prayers were Speaker of the Federal Parliament Speaker Mohamed Osman Jawari, Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke and regional presidents from Puntland and Galmudug.
Poll schedule
President Mohamoud urged the public to support the government’s efforts to fight insecurity. The president’s term ended on September 10 but a new poll schedule indicates that a replacement will be elected on October 30. Both President Mohamoud and Dr Sharmarke have declared their candidacy for the top seat.
Somalia Launches National Strategy To Counter Extremism
12 September – Xinhua – 321 Words
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Monday launched a national strategy to counter violent extremism in the Horn of Africa nation which has been grappling with frequent terror attacks.
Mohamud said the Comprehensive National Strategy on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (P/CVE) for Somalia is in line with the United Nations’ call to the member states to develop national strategy for CVE. “I am very pleased that Somalia now has a comprehensive national strategy on P/CVE, which will greatly help us to reduce violent extremism and at the same time to better coordinate all programs and activities relating to Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism,” he said during the launch in Mogadishu.
Mohamud said majority of Somalis have denounced violent extremism, and the strategy has been developed in consultation with government officials with the active involvement of regional administrations as well as civil society. The Somali leader said his government also carried out an online public consultation in order to reach out to all citizens including Somalis in the diaspora.
AU Forces Arrest 2 Al-Shabaab Bombers In Somalia
12 September – Xinhua – 155 Words
African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia (AMISOM) backed by local forces on Sunday arrested two Al-Shabaab bomb experts in southern region amid heightened security ahead of a regional summit to be held on Tuesday. The pan African body said the two bomb experts were arrested during security operations in Lower Juba, outside the southern port city of Kismayo.
“The determination of Somalia National Army and AMISOM to rid Somalia of Al-Shabaab is an assurance to the people that they will continue to enjoy peace and security,” AMISOM said in a brief statement issued on Sunday. The militant group did not comment on the latest operations by the AU and SNA forces which come ahead of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development summit to be held in Mogadishu.
Heavy security is underway across the Horn of Africa nation especially in Mogadishu to enhance the security, seal all loopholes and make sure the significant summit takes place successfully.
UN, AU Military Engineers Seek To Enhance Operations In Somalia
12 September – Xinhua – 323 Words
Military engineers from the United Nations and African Union (AU) kicked off a two-day conference in Mogadishu on Monday to seek ways of enhancing their capabilities in the fight against Al-Shabaab. The engineers from the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), Britain and the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) are also seeking ways of effectively delivering engineering support to the pan-African body in Somalia.
In his opening remarks, Special Representative of the African Union Commission Chairperson for Somalia, Ambassador Francisco Caetano Madeira, urged proper alignment of engineering projects that would ensure effective support to the mission in the war against Al-Shabaab. “I am sure you all know the very important role engineering plays in any military operation,” said Madeira in a statement released in Mogadishu.
“This role, including combat and civil engineering, involves planning, construction, installation, movement, safety and security among other important roles. That is why it is important that you come up with a good plan to support this Mission in the next year,” he said.
The military engineers will also be brainstorming on ways to enhance their operations, in line with the new Concept of Operations for AMISOM as well as review current operations and develop a comprehensive plan for 2017.
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
“Despite the will and the general enthusiasm in the streets to put more women in positions of leadership, it will be difficult because the 275 MPs are representing sub-clans. The women will be competing on an equal footing with the men because there are no reserved seats for women,” said Abdirahaman Omar Osman, a former adviser to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
Clans A Major Obstacle For Women Vying In Somalia polls
12 September – Source: The East African – 358 Words
The clan factor will be the biggest obstacle for Somali women seeking leadership positions as the country heads for elections this month. Experts on Somalia say it will prove difficult in the strictly patriarchal Somalia society, and realising the prescribed 30 per cent quota for women in the national assembly will be difficult.
The Somalia National Leadership Forum (NLF) resolved in August that 30 per cent of the 275 seats in the national assembly and 52 in the Senate should be reserved for women. That means Somali women are supposed to get 82 seats in parliament and 15 seats in the Senate.
Signs that women are going to face tough times in the elections came as early as June 2015, when Fatuma Dayib — the first woman to declare her interest in the country’s presidency — received death threats from Al Shabaab for daring to contest the presidency, which according to the militants, would be an abomination.
Mohamed Dubo, a political analyst and publisher of The Somalia Investor, said it will be difficult to fill the 30 per cent quota of women leaders in the current political climate. “Many communities prefer male candidates and will not vote for a woman to represent them in parliament or in the Senate,” said Mr Dubo.
Trying to meet quota
According to the new electoral model, the Independent Electoral Commission is supposed to ensure that the 30 per cent quota is met, while 135 elders — who will select the 14,000 electors who will elect the MPs — have been urged to ensure sufficient women’s representation in their selection. Each MP will be elected by 51 constituency members selected by clan elders. In 2012, parliament only had 20 per cent women’s representation — 55 MPs out of the total 275.