Investigative Reports

Security Reform vs. Security Risk: Weighing the Implications of Somaliland’s Military Biometric System

Key Points Somaliland's biometric registration of security personnel aims to...

The Diplomacy of Gullibility: How Somaliland’s Foreign Ministry Keeps Falling for International Fraudsters

In what has become a familiar scene in Somaliland's...

Ex-US Ambassador to Somalia Lobbies for Hormuud’s Access to American Banking System

Questions mount as André partners with Somali MP who...
Home Blog Page 72

UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL.

0

The blessed republic of Somaliland is in celebration today. It is exactly the day in which its sovereignty is reclaimed or regained. On the eve of 28th celebrations of the nation’s birth, I have a simple and short message to send.

Dear countrymen it is the day to show the world that we are as strong as a solid foundation which can’t be fallen apart. It is the time we have survived and stand firmly against all odds. It is the right time to feel proud and joy for the betterment of our nation. Surely, We are in a better position than 28 years ago. We had built a nation with law and order in a lawlessness east-African region.

Dear countrymen, let me remind you, Somaliland is a country built by its people from the ashes without one’s help. So, what ever disagreements happen will only be solved by its grassroots. Our country’s issues are always be open for discussion. We all know, Somalilands’ means of addressing its own internal misunderstandings had been hailed across the globe.

 In some cases, If some of our citizens feel neglected we have the capacity and means to discuss and settle our difference. Although we have had a very rough road there is also a long way to go. That very rough road ahead can only be overcome through unity. Unity among Somaliland people. Through unity and patience recognition will eventually arrive at our door-step sooner rather than latter. That is just a matter of days.

Dear Somalilanders, held your head high and stand together to bravely reject the nasty plans intended to destroy our nation.

About the Author:   Mohamed Samater is an engineering technologist by profession now lives in Melbourne, Australia. He was also an educationalist. Former Dean and lecturer at local universities in Somaliland. Email: engsamater[at]gmail.com

Disclaimer: The viewpoints expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect the opinions, viewpoints of Somaliland Chronicle and it’s staff. 

Creative Commons License

Notice: This article by Somaliland Chronicle is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

Lack of Access to Reproductive Health for Young Girls is Why Babies End up in Toilets.

0

I am heartbroken over the news that a baby was rescued from a toilet in Hargeisa few days ago and relieved that the baby is safe. I am heartbroken over the agonizing decision that led a mother dispose of her precious baby after giving birth. How hard did she embrace the baby, kissed it or perhaps breastfed just once before she threw it in a latrine?

I am a mother and I cannot fathom the events or the circumstances that would drive a new mom do this to her baby. However, I am not here to litigate her state of mind what sins led to her pregnancy but cringe at the thought of the monstrous her act of discarding her precious baby in a toilet hoping it will drown in excrement.

Even though this is an act by a single individual, on the whole, it reflects on the dark corners of our souls, the isolation this young mother must have felt is a testament to harshness of our nature.

Would things have turned out different if this young mother had access to counselling services that could have guided her to give up the baby for adoption or safely hand it over to one of the few orphanages anonymously?

What about if she had access to contraceptives? before you assume that I advocate we should be ok with people’s sexual activities outside of the sanctity of marriage, I am not.

I am not sure how often this happens but I would imagine it is not the first time and there is a likelihood that many of these discarded babies do not survive or get rescued.

It is convenient to sidestep this uncomfortable topic of teen pregnancy and what leads to it but she was not alone in making that baby. There is a gentleman walking about in Hargeisa who is equally responsible and probably saw the news reports of a baby rescued from a toilet on his social media before he moved on to browse the next post on Facebook.

Let us give our young girls access to reproductive health and education to at least give them a chance to avoid committing a mysterious act against a precious baby who deserves to be loved and cherished.

About the Author Anonymous female.

Disclaimer: The viewpoints expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect the opinions, viewpoints of Somaliland Chronicle and its staff. 

Creative Commons License

Notice: This is an article by Somaliland Chronicle is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Under this license, all reprints and non-commercial distribution of this work is permitted.

Breaking – Large Delegation of Kenyan MPs To Visit Somaliland

0

A large delegation of Kenyan MPs are heading to Hargeisa, Somaliland to take part in the commemoration of Somaliland’s independence day on 18th May. The delegation is expected to arrive in Hargeisa on Thursday afternoon.

According to sources from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International cooperation, the delegation of at least a dozen Members of Parliament are from various parliamentary committees including Defense and Foreign Affairs, Energy, Investment and others.

Sources added that the delegation will meet with Somaliland President HE Muse Bihi Abdi and members of his administration.

Image result for abiy ahmed farmajo uhuru
President Uhuru Kenyatta (middle), Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed (right) and Somali President Mohamed Abdillahi Farmajo

Diplomatic relations between Somaliland and Kenya have been on a positive trajectory. It is unclear if Kenya is pivoting to Somaliland following the recent dispute with Somalia over maritime border between the two countries.

Efforts by the Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed to mediate Kenya and Somalia have been unsuccessful.

Update

The delegation of Kenyan MPs have arrived in Hargeisa and were welcomed at Egal International Airport by UCID Opposition party chairman, Eng Faisal Ali Warabe, Deputy Mayor of Hargeisa and other government officials.

This is a developing story, please check back for updates.

5 Dead and 6 Injured in Flooded Hargeisa

0

Heavy rains in Hargeisa today have claims the lives of five people and injured six others. This is according to the government officials, including the President HE Muse Bihi Abdi, who have surveyed the damaged areas of the Capital of Hargeisa, Somaliland.

Image may contain: 10 people, including Agg Khadar Y Ali, people smiling, people standing and outdoor
President Bihi and other government officials surveying flood damages in Hargeisa.

Two of the victims were killed by downed power lines where the remaining three were swept in a vehicle by heavy floods. Officials added that a total of nine people were rescued from floods by police and fire services.

This is not the first time that heavy rains and floods have resulted in loss of live in Somaliland, especially in the capital. Last year, 2 children were killed by floods in Hargeisa after heavy rains.

Madaxweyne Muuse Biixi ayaa booqday goobta ay masiibadu ka dhacay una tacsiyeeyay aabaha dhalay carruurta dhimatay
Ahmed Qorane, father of children lost to floods in Hargeisa last year.

Lack of building, electrical codes or designated flood areas coupled with non-existent flood drainage in Hargeisa have often caused heavy floods in the rainy season.

BREAKING – UK Ambassador to Somalia to visit Somaliland

0

The Ambassador of the UK to Somalia, Mr Ben Fender OBE is visiting Somaliland this week. Mr. Fender is scheduled to hold a series of meeting with the President of Somaliland HE Muse Bihi Abdi and members of his administration as well as the opposition parties and civil society organizations.

This is Ambassador Fender’s second visit to Somaliland since being appointed. His most recent visit was on April second with the largest delegation of European ambassadors to Somaliland.

This is a developing story, please check back for updates.

Breaking – Waddani Opposition Party Chairman Meets with Qatari Ambassador to Somalia

0

Dr. Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro, the Chairman of the Opposition party of Waddani has met with His Excellency Hassan Hamza Asad Hashem, the Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the Republic of Somalia in Nairobi.

Professor Ahmed I. Samatar and Dr. Abdirahman Abdillahi Irro in Hargeisa.

According to diplomatic sources in Nairobi, Dr. Irro was accompanied by Professor Ahmed I. Samatar on his trip to Nairobi. Professor Samatar was reported to have attended the meeting of the Chairman with the Qatari Ambassador.

His Excellency Hassan Hamza Asad Hashem, the Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the Republic of Somalia with Somali Deputy Prime Minister Mahdi M. Gulaid

Sources added that Dr. Irro and Professor Samatar have also met with the United States Ambassador to Somalia Mr. Donald Yamamoto. Neither meeting was publicly disclosed and no details of the topics discussed have emerged.

Somaliland government has officially sided with the UAE/Saudi side of the Gulf crisis, where Mogadishu has fostered close cooperation with Qatar and Turkey.

Somaliland Government Detains a Member of the Parliament

0

Mr. Mohamed Ahmed Dhakool, a member of Somaliland Parliament representing the eastern region of Sool was arrested today.

No official statement has been released to explain the MP’s arrest but all indications point to the MP’s opposition to the commemoration of the establishment of Somaliland Republic on the 18th of May.

Mr. Dhakool stated that the 18th May should not be a national day and that it is a dark day as it is related to the disintegration of the Somali state at the hands of Somali National Movement. Mr. Dhakool has been a Somaliland MP since 2005.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eswY2NmYEBg

It is unclear if the MP has been officially charged but sources in Somaliland security services indicate that he is currently being held in Hargeisa Central Police Station.

Former President of Nigeria Dr. Olusegun Obasanjo Visits Somaliland

0

Dr. Olusegun Obasanjo, the former President of Nigeria arrived in Hargeisa on an official invitation from the government of Somaliland.

Dr. Obasanjo led a delegation from the Brenthurst Foundation founded by Billionaire Jonathan Oppenheimer of South Africa. Dr. Obasanjo is the chairman of the foundation.

President Bihi and members of his administration met with Dr. Obasanjo, the Director of the Brenthurt Foundation, Mr. Gregg Mills and others who accompanied them on their visit to Somaliland. The delegation also met with the chairmen of Somaliland Parliament and Judiciary Committee.

Let us return to the Politics of Negotiations

0

The most significant factor that made our revival journey distinct and, by far, sets us apart from our chaotic neighbours was the fact that we were blessed with profoundly gifted, great negotiators. A group of men who have had social knowledge, personal stamina, and a steely determination to help their people put an end to the misery of infighting, fear and destitute.

They worked tirelessly to broker peace through bottom-up peace building meetings, gatherings and national conferences which, ultimately, culminated in the establishment of a fully functioning government, with the blessing and support of all the previously combating factions.

However, nations are like waves, they show periods of crests: strength, prosperity and unity, and times of troughs, where the well being of the country is not how it is supposed to be. Unfortunately, we haven’t reached the crest of our nation yet. In reality, during the last few years, we fast-tracked into a state of perpetual stagnation, regarding both effective state building and prioritising citizens welfare.

It is these particularly challenging times when we are in dire need for someone to formulate the right prescription. Nonetheless, the field is almost devoid of concerned, untainted and impartial statesmen, the likes of those great negotiators; many have left for the eternal life, and the surviving few were deliberately pushed aside.

The countless political and tribal arguments, we are witnessing today are some of the manifestations of that public erosion coupled with a penetrating decay invaded the entire political elite. Although there are persistent attempts to befoul them into the current political climate, it is for the young, educated men and women to take the initiative and plan or the future. The dullards in the so-called three parties put the country in deadlock as can be seen from the recent unwise, ill-conceived alliances and the opposed utter defiance and lack of vision.

About the Author:  Dr. Abdikarim D Hassan MSc Diabetes and Endocrinology at Salfor Univeristy, UK.  Dr Hassan is a freelance writer with special interest in good health care and Education for all citizens. He can be reached on Qurbe206[at]hotmail.com;

Disclaimer: The viewpoints expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect the opinions, viewpoints of Somaliland Chronicle and it’s staff. 

Creative Commons License

Notice: This article by Somaliland Chronicle is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

Corruption Allegation at the Ministry of Education and Science Prompts Auditor-General Investigation

0

The Auditor-General has started an investigation into corruption allegation at the Ministry of Education and Science. Sources inside the Presidency, tell Somaliland Chronicle that President Bihi has directed the AG to investigate the Ministry of Education and Science.

The Auditor General investigation into the Ministry of Education and Science follows their recent investigations of the Ministries of Defense and Information that has resulted in the filing of criminal complaints with the Attorney-General, the firing of the Ministers and many senior level appointees from those ministries.

Auditor-General seal on one the doors at the Ministry of Information

The nature of the alleged corruption at the Ministry of Education and Science is unclear but sources confirmed that President Bihi has been fully briefed and is following the investigation closely.

Former Ministers of Information and Defense

Multiple employees of the Ministry of Education and Science who spoke on condition of anonymity have pointed to widespread mismanagement, cronyism and corruption. One particular employee added, “No one cares if you showed up to work on time for the last 20 years or you just popped in once a month to grab your salary and never work, it is unbelievable”.

To corroborate the employees misgivings about the ministry, we have asked a high-ranking member of President Bihi’s government familiar with the work of the Ministry of Education and Science and he said “The one place that functions properly is the examination team, do you realize they hold exams to more school kids, on time, then those that took part in the recent election? Maybe we should make those guys in charge of the election!”

Except the Director-General Mr. Ahmed Abokor who was previously at this ministry, the Minister and Vice Minister are both relatively new.

Both the Vice Minister Mr. Mohamed Dahir Ahmed and the Director General Mr. Ahmed Abokor were appointed to the Education and Science following President Bihi’s first major reshuffle on November 10, 2018. Mr. Ahmed was the Vice Minister of the Finance Ministry.

We have reached out to the Vice Minister Mr. Mohamed Dahir Ahmed to ask him about the Auditor-General’s investigation and if the reports of alleged corruption are true “I welcome the investigation to fix anything that may be wrong but I cannot comment on an ongoing investigation but it is that law that the Auditor-General investigate every Ministry and government agency every year” he responded.

Public records show that the Ministry of Education and Science receives tens of millions of dollars from the international community. There are multiple projects funding different aspects of education in Somaliland.

Image may contain: 3 people
Mr. Ahmed Abokor with Hargeisa Mayor Abdirahman SOLTELCO

Despite the large influx of donor funds when compared to private schools, the quality of public education in Somaliland has been poor and many school facilities lack the most basic facilities. 

There are previous allegation of corruption against the Vice Minister Mohamed Dahir Ahmed he led the now defunct Somaliland Food Security Agency when asked the Vice Minister was the head of the Somaliland Food Security Agency which resulted in his removal from that position, he responded “I had clashed with Mr. Hersi back in Siilanyo’s time. I have not been removed because of corruption and there is no court or Auditor-General that has accused me of those things”.

Mr. Hersi Haji Hassan, the former Minister of the Presidency.

The Vice Minister did not say why he clashed with Mr. Hersi. The former Minister of the Presidency, Mr. Hersi Haji Hassan, did not respond to request for comment.

Image may contain: 1 person

The Director-General, Mr. Ahmed Abokor has also been implicated in corruption in the past while working for Save the Children on projects for the Ministry of Education and Science. According to sources, Mr. Abokor has been terminated by SCF as a result of those allegations.

Both the Director-General and the Minister did not respond to questions for this article.