September 22, 2016 | Morning Headlines
Galmudug State Of Somalia To Mobilize Security Forces For Elections
22 September – Source: Goobjoog News –143 Words
The Interim Administration of Galmudug on Tuesday called for the security forces of the state to make final preparations to secure the upcoming elections. The Deputy President of the state Mohamed Hashi Araby said state security forces will be responsible in the election’s security during a meeting Tuesday with security force commanders.
“Our forces will be securing the elections, I have met with the security heads including the military in our state to convey them this information” Araby said. Candidates and delegates are pouring into the state capital Adaado ahead of Federal Parliamentary elections.
Other regional states are also preparing to host parliamentary elections in their respective capitals. Every state is required to host the elections of the Federal MPs. Every MP shall be elected by a sample 51 delegates picked up from his/her clan population.
Key Headlines
- Galmudug State Of Somalia To Mobilize Security Forces For Elections (Goobjoog News)
- Well-known Businessman Shot Dead In Belet-Weyne (Shabelle News)
- NISA Official Killed In A Car Bomb Explosion (Radio Dalsan)
- MP Godah Barri: Hiiraan Residents Decides To Have Their Own State (Goobjoog New)
- Somalia Enters Delicate Poll Season (Daily Nation)
- At UN debate Kenyan Vice-President Implores Security Council To Take Somalia Situation ‘Seriously’ (UN News Centre)
- BanQu Software Aims To Give Refugees A Financial Imprint (Star Tribune)
NATIONAL MEDIA
Well-known Businessman Shot Dead In Belet-Weyne
21 September – Source: Shabelle News – 113 Words
Unknown gunmen have shot and killed a prominent businessman in Belet-weyne, the regional capital of Hiiraan on Wednesday evening, police and residents said. Two men armed with pistols have killed the businessman who was identified as Dahir Maha Alle while his son has been slightly injured in the attack, according to eyewitness.
The killers, who are thought to be Al-Shabaab members have managed to escape from the scene shortly before security forces of Somalia arrived, said the witness. No group has yet to claim responsibility for the killing.
NISA Official Killed In A Car Bomb Explosion
21 September – Source: Radio Dalsan – 96 Words
A Senior Somali security official was on Wednesday killed inside his car. An official of the Somali Nation Security and Intelligence Agency (NISA) lost his life and two other people were wounded after an explosion occured inside their car near the Petro Station in Mogadishu at Juba junction in Abdulaziz district.
Security officials said explosive device fitted on the car caused the explosion which resulted in the death and injuries of two people. This targeted killing comes days after a senior Somali military official was also killed in a suicide attack near Defense headquarters in Mogadishu. The terrorist group, Al-Shabaab claimed the responsibility for the attack.
MP Godah Barri: Hiiraan Residents Decides To Have Their Own State
22 September – Source: Goobjoog News – 170 Words
Former Minister of Interiror and current Federal Member of Parliament, Godah Barri said elders and politicians from the Hiiraan region have decided to establish a new independent state. The MP who spoke to Goobjoog news on Tuesday characterized the state building conference in Jowhar as a ‘deception’ meant to take the rights of people from Hiiraan region.
“We are Proud that elders, politicians and people from businesses and youth attended this meeting today to express their desire to have their independent state” the MP added. The MP also said that in order for a state to be formed it should come from the desire and consent of the people from the region.
Meanwhile, a number of politicians and elders in Belet-Weyne warned on Tuesday that a unilateral formation of a state could lead the region to instability. The statement comes amid preparations to announce the establishment of new state in the region.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Somalia Enters Delicate Poll Season
22 September – Source : Daily Nation – 274 Words
On August 9, the National Leadership Forum (NLF) unveiled the modalities for this year’s elections in Somalia. Since then, the restive nation has become awash with the election sing-song. NLF is a coalition of leaders that includes the Federal President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, the Speaker of the Parliament Mohamed Osman Jawari, the Prime Minister and his deputy and the leaders of the regional authorities of Puntland, Jubaland, Southwest and Galmudug.
The leaders endorsed an electoral plan proposed by an independent 22-member commission, chaired by legal expert Omar Mohamoud Abdulle. The commission had set an election timetable. “The commission urges the public to support the process by being security vigilantes during the election period,” remarked Mr Abdulle.
According to the modalities, Somalia is set to have a parliament with a 54-member Upper House and a 275-member Lower House, also known as the people’s hall. The Upper House must be ready by September 25. The state members of the Federal Republic such as Puntland, Galmudug, Southwest and Jubaland will choose the members to the Upper House.
At UN debate, Kenyan Vice-President Implores Security Council To Take Somalia Situation ‘Seriously’
21 September – Source: UN News Centre – 507 Words
Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, the Vice-President of Kenya today implored the UN Security Council to align the mandate of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to the threat levels in that neighbouring country, and to provide adequate, predictable funding and other support for the Mission.
“For the last two and half decades, the region has been seized with the situation in Somalia,” Vice-President William Ruto said. “Throughout this time, Kenya has stood with Somalia, provided a safe haven for refugees, joined peacekeeping missions, and invested resources in combating al-Shabaab and its affiliates.”
This solidarity has helped to substantially weaken the al-Shabaab militant group, liberated large swathes of land in Somalia and provided the space for its Government to begin the journey of rehabilitation and reconstruction, he explained.
On its part, Kenya has committed to $10 million in new funds to support the safe, dignified and orderly repatriation of the more than 400,000 Somali refugees in Kenya. “Sadly, the efforts of the region and Somalia’s neighbours have not been matched by the international community,” he stated.
OPINION, ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE
“Warfa says there are now more than 2.5 billion “unbanked” people worldwide who leave no digital trace when they earn or spend money and thus remain largely excluded from the global economy.”
BanQu Software Aims To Give Refugees A Financial Imprint
21 September – Source: Star Tribune – 544 Words
When 12-year-old Hamse Warfa arrived in a Kenyan refugee camp, he received a piece of paper with a number, which he used to get food rations and other services. For him and his parents — former business owners in Mogadishu — the papers came to symbolize a lost identity.
Now a doctoral candidate and Bush Foundation fellow in the Twin Cities, Warfa has developed software that he hopes will allow refugees and others to create a digital “economic identity,” helping them track financial transactions and build credit. Along with the likes of Google, MasterCard and Microsoft, Warfa’s company, BanQu Inc., is taking part in an initiative the Obama administration announced this week to get the private sector more involved in helping refugees.
“When you own your data, you become a dignified human being,” he said. Earlier this month, Obama announced a goal of resettling 110,000 refugees in the United States in the coming fiscal year — a 30 percent increase that drew sharp criticism from congressional Republicans and others. The Obama administration is also making a push to get other countries and businesses to pitch in more to help the world’s 21 million refugees, more than at any time since World War II.
At a summit in New York on Tuesday, the administration announced commitments from 50 U.S. companies, including BanQu. The company’s co-founder, Ashish Gadnis, an immigrant from India, attended the event. Warfa says shared experiences with extreme poverty and displacement brought the men together to launch the company. “In the camp, we became statistical figures,” said Warfa. “We lost our identity and our dignity.”