Elections
Feb 8
The National Consultative Council had a teleconference chaired by PM Roble. The meeting focused on how to expedite the elections, as the February 25 deadline is fast approaching with over 100 MPs still to be elected. NCC members also discussed the latest security situation in the country, with each participant reporting on his region, and agreed to mobilize to address the deteriorating drought situation in the country.
Feb 8
A year has passed today since President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo’s official 4-year term expired. Due mostly to Said Deni and Ahmed Madobe unwillingness to respect the September 17 agreement, the disruptive opposition called “Council of Presidential candidates” and the incompetence of Prime Minister Mohamed Roble, the elections took months and there’s still no foreseeable end to this thorny issue. Until a new parliament is sworn, and a new president elected, the incumbent would remain in Villa Somalia.
Feb 12
Hirshabelle became the 2nd Somali regional state to hold Lower House elections in its 2nd polling town. Now the Hiraan region can peacefully elect its 13 representatives Beledweyne.
Feb 13
The first deputy speaker of Somalia’s parliament Abdiwali Mudey has said that he was prevented from leaving Mogadishu airport today to participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections in Barawe, Lower Shabelle region. Police spokesman Abdifatah Aden Hassan later told media that Mudey was prevented from boarding his flight because he was traveling with a huge security force and weapons. He added that the intervention was not specifically aimed at Mr. Mudey, but was intended to respect election security policies. Candidates are allowed to travel with up to 5 bodyguards.
Foreign Policy
Feb 7
President Farmajo receives credentials from US Ambassador Larry André Jr. after a ceremony held at presidential complex in Mogadishu. Farmajo and Ambassador André have discussed their relations, humanitarian aid, security, and war on Al-Shabab.
Feb 12
Congresswoman Ilhan Omar sent a letter to the US State Department asking for clarification on former president Barack Obama’s 2010 and 2012 executive orders that place Somalia under US sanctions. She wanted to know what are the “conditions under which sanctions can be lifted” since the security situation there has now improved.
Drought
Feb 8
A plane from the United Arab Emirates delivered food aid for drought victims. The donation from the UAE Red Crescent Society was received at Aden Adde International Airport by Minister of Relief and Disaster Management Khadijo Mohamed Diriye and other National Emergency Committee officials. The Prime Minister said he was satisfied that his request for help had been heard.
Finance
Feb 9
A Somali government delegation led by the Central Bank of Somalia, Governor Abdirahman Mohamed, concluded after 3 days of meetings with the Central Bank of Djibouti on the recovery of assets linked to the former Commercial and Savings Bank of Somalia ( CSBS) – Djibouti Branch. The two sides signed on February 9th an agreement regarding the transfer of CSBS branch liquidation management.
Human Rights
Feb 10
In memory of the Wagalla Massacre on February 10th, 1984, 10,000 Somali-Kenyans, from the Degodia clan, were rounded up, brought to the Wagalla Airstrip and 5,000 were left dead. The survivors were tortured, beaten, raped or suffered other abuses in the hand of the Kenyan army. After 38 years, no one has been brought to justice, no responsible was reprimanded, no redress, no apology. A truth commission about Kenya’s various police and army brutalities, including this one, published a report in 2011 which Kenyan authorities have to prosecute the culprits.
Feb 11
Safe the Children has expressed concern over the recent sentencing of six men, aged between 16 and 20, to death by firing squad. The men were charged in connection with the killings in Galkayo, Mudug region, and were members of Al-Shabaab. The six convicted men were arrested in October 2020 when they were younger than they are now.
