The newly resettled Residents of Ayax 4 estate will for the second night in a row spend the night in the cold for fear of their shelters crumbling on them after rains flooded their recently occupied shoddily built residential houses which are in appealing state.
The Ayax 4 estate is part of the UN Habitat reintegration and Improved Livelihoods for Returnees and IDPs in 4 Towns in Somaliland”, implemented by UN-Habitat in collaboration with Somaliland Government Authorities. The Project is financially supported by the People of Japan.
The Ayah 4 consist of the construction of 350 one story housing units, with 3 rooms and a built up area of 10 x 9 meters (90 square meters) each, inclusive of a covered kitchen area, a pit latrine with septic soak away pit, a water tank and an open court-yard with basic flooring surrounded by a perimeter wall located at the Ayah 4 dedicated resettlement area, North-East of Hargeisa Town.
The director general in the Ministry of Resettlement and Rehabilitation Mr. Mahmoud jibril yonis haji speaking at the Ayax 4 estate said, “Today we are here to assess the damage we have witnessed caused to newly occupied residential homes.
All houses are leaking in the same way.
Stagnation of rain water in the verandahs
Leaking roofs
Leaking water storage tanks
Latrines are inaccessible because of their 40 inch staircases
Threats caused by uncovered water storage tanks
Lack of recreational facilities
The Ministry of Resettlement and Rehabilitation official also confirmed that they have contacted both the contractor responsible for building the house and officials from the UN Habitat so as to meet tomorrow at the site so as to address the grievances of the resettled residents of Ayah4 estate who have being living at the estate for just one week.
The United Arab Emirates is sponsoring various development projects in the country with most people living major urban centers such as Hargeisa, Burao , Berbera ,Gebiley benefitting such projects.
The Somaliland minister of Water resources Hussien Ahmed Abdulle today inaugurated six newly drilled wells and one dam built by Khalifa bin Zayed Nayhen Charity Foundation speaking at the function said, “The objectives of the project are simple and straightforward: to increase the amount of water to Burao town and its environs from nearby wellfields, and to ensure that the supply system is secure and sustainable and he also thanked Sayid Al Falaah of the UAE red crescent society and Dr. Abdurahman Ali Du’alleh who was in charge of implementing the project on behalf of the Khalifa bin Zayed Nayhen Charity Foundation and most of all the government of the UAE for its generosity.
Speaking on behalf of Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed Nayhen Charity Foundation was Mr. Amiir Al Falaax speaking at the function said, “The goal of Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed Nayhen Charity Foundation funded water programmes is to improve the quality and quantity of fresh water available to Somaliland people and its future generations.
The water projects were carried out in collaboration with the Somali Ministry of Water Resources are intended to alleviate problems of the water shortage in Burao by supplying enough clean water to all the sectors of the town including to those without existing water connections.
The minister of water resources credited the Khalifa bin Zayed Charity Foundation for not only sponsoring water related projects but also its positive role in saving lives of those affected drought and famine by providing food and medicine.
”The Foundation’s plan to tackle water crisis in Somaliland has brought relief to hundreds of thousands of affected population there,”he added.
The UAE foundation aims to provide pure drinking water to Somalis, especially children, who were dying in hundreds of thousands of thirst and drought.
The Head of State H.E. Ahmed Mohammed Mohamud Silanyo has in a notable address to the joint National Assemblies Parliament vowed to defend, fight for and die for SL’s nationhoodand reiterated the needs for and efforts of advancing development in general with special emphasis on priority areas.
The articulate speech of the President was in an unprecedented 4th annual consecutive address to both the Upper House of the Guurti and Lower House of the Representatives. No past SL President has made this fete which is a constitutional requirement.
H.E. President Ahmed scoffed at the Mogadishu based President Hassan Sh. Mohamud’s gaffes on SL affairs in the speech that touched on the security, foreign affairs and recognition lobbying, the health and educational sectors, environment, roads infrastructure, the ports, administration, national registration of persons, judiciary and coastal development.
He also disclosed the establishing of a national clerical (clergy) council as per legislation and at the same time re-appealed to the lawmakers to take the gender quota issue into perspective.
He reminded the legislative assemblies of the past efforts in the two decade of the 23 years since reassertion of the country’s independence hence gave a summary of where the nation stood today.
The SL essence “The country has now matured and the people of the nation and the government had focused on establishing national institution, fortifying security, developing the social general infrastructures; and socio-economical aspects”, said the President.
He continued, “It is a surely certain that no blind eyes can be turned anymore towards this country which has all the requirements of a dejure status”.
He said that in the course of implementing pledges and policy programs, the administration categorized areas to be addressed as per priority needs.
“I hereby state to you that about 85% of the pledges have been completed, 12% is at hand and only 3% may fall short our plans as projected”.
Security
The President underscored the importance of security emphasizing that without peace and stability life was impossible. “Peaceful stability is the basic foundation of life for humanity hence it is the vein whose lack negates development and progress”, said the Head of State.
He noted that the prevalent harmonious peaceful stability in the country is amongst the top in African scale.
“Peace and stability depends on the competence of the security apparatus who are quite vigilante”, he said.
Pointing out there are enemies against the country’s aspirations he noted that the country’s servicemen are now better equipped, receive better salaries, have had their institutional academies upgraded and established hence laws have been put in place to govern the policies of the the intelligence, police andante-terrorists forces.
He scoffed at Hassan’s gaffe on Somaliland affairs when the Somalia President recently credited himself of stalling a crisis along the border whereby SL forces repelled insurgent Khatumo militiamen from SL territory! He (Hassan) also claimed that he was constantly in touch with SL President, something H.E. Ahmed Silanyo chided.
“On several occasions have I recently been hearing of Somalia President Hassan claiming of a connection between us and constantly exchanging correspondences”, noted the President and chided, “he happens to be a novice in politics as he is equally youthful”.
He continued with the scoff, “It is quite sad for him to perceive the congratulatory protocol note of his election as a fete!”
He was categorical that when it comes to SL and her integrity Hassan Sheikh was out of question.
Foreign Affairs and Recognition
“We have stepped and pepped up efforts of getting SL recognized”, said the President.
He was vivid that the foreign policy was a clear-cut one which was self explicit.
He reminded the lawmakers that they were part of the process when they gave the green light to the commencement of the SL-Somalia talks. “Reports on the ongoings have been availed to you constantly, he told them.
“We have an internationally facilitated talks going on (with Somalia) which should be adhered to”, and added, “we will defend, fight for and die for SL’s nationhood since it is the self-determination and aspirations of the people”.
Health and Education
Health and Education are two issues that are indispensable hence are basic in livelihood, said the President.
He said that education was a basic right for all Somalilanders and who ought to get it freely.
He said that much effort have been focused in the field for a quality educational service.
He said that equal efforts have also been made on the health sector.
Saying that the HIV/AIDS menace has had a special focus.
He emphasized that the efforts on both the education and health sectors are driven at development, spreading and fledging quality services countrywide.
Livestock and Environment
The President asked the legislative assemblies to look into a tabled environmental constitutional policy which would help and deal with range management aspects.
He said that around 12 million shoats, 1.5 million camels and 1.5 million cattle have been vaccinated and immunized against various diseases.
Roads
A lot of efforts have been done in this field and a major national mobilization of rural and urban roads construction is in progress.
Noting that roads were catalysts in the speeding up of developmental progress, the President declared the Borama road as already completed.
He had just inaugurated the Wajaale one.
He revealed that the SDF will cough 4m dollars and 2m dollars to fund Berbera-Hamas-Sheikh and Kalabayd-Dila roads stretches respectively.
He announced the start of construction works on the biggest project, the Erigavo road.
The Ports
The President told the lawmakers how the state had put major efforts in upgrading and modernizing both the air and sea ports in the country.
So far, bigger jets are now able to land in Hargeisa due to the upgrading of the runways. Much has been done in Berbera; and the Burao and Borama ones are to be addressed.
The President confirmed that talks with Bolores to make the Berbera harbor a world one facility is in progress.
Salaries
The President who had made a 100% salary increases to civil servants underscored the fact that development had not come easily but for a sacrificial cost.
He gave examples of salaries increments of soldiers leaping from 44 to 106 US dollars,
Ministers 800 to 2,350 USD, judges 349.6 to 1,350USD and the MPs 421 to 1354 USD.
2014 Plans
He said that the state has planned to step up the fortification of security, spreading of administration by decentralizing them further afield, registering of persons and developing of the harbours.
Clerical body
He announced the plans to establish a national council for the clergy as per constitution since the populace is 100% Muslim.
IC
He reiterated the cooperation enhancement of bilateral relations with the international community especially on Security, piracy menace, anti-terrorism and environment.
He called for the IC to be bold enough to know and acknowledge that SL is an entity which exists that must be recognized.
Gender
On gender issues he appealed for the third time to the MPs to give the women fraternity their quotas by nodding to and passing through a policy bill that they had shot down twice before.
The President lastly called upon all national assemblies, councils, the Diaspora and Somalilanders at large to organize and participate fully in this year’s 18th May celebrations to be held next Sunday not only nationally but worldwide.
It’s hundreds of years now since the onslaught of white domination in South Africa, hundreds of years of the suffering of generations. Born poor, forever poor; born rich, forever rich is the unspoken slogan. But the English have a saying that there’s always an exception to every rule- and this exception in modern South Africa is none other than President Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma. Whilst wearing the original black man’s skin, he has used his position to elevate himself beyond the level of the white-man.
At the age of 72, Jacob Zuma was undoubtedly old enough to witness and experience the pain inflicted on black South Africans in the run up to the arrest of his predecessor and highly acclaimed world icon Nelson Mandela (RIP). The question that the current President must stand to answer fifty years later is: Are we there? Unfortunately for South Africans, the answer is a big NO. Twist the question and ask Jacob Zuma to answer; Are you there? And the answer is an overwhelming YES. Nelson Mandela Madiba sacrificed his life not for the glorification of handful individuals but for a nation- and this nation in its entirety, must taste the fruits of the end to apartheid. Less
So if 20 years since the change of guard from White to Black; the ordinary South African is still gnashing: Then what about? Well, some may say that thank God today we can board the same train; we can walk together on the streets; we can go to the same markets; we can play on the same Football team and so on. Surely is it for just this that Nelson Mandela spent 27 of his adult years in prison? As long as a black South African continues to graze in abject poverty just as it were, even when the country is said to be one of the most developed on the continent, then white or black a devil is a devil.
In 2012 I had a chance to travel to South Africa, and particularly visited Durban. While in Durban, I happened to visit quite a number of places, including the spot where Nelson Mandela was captured and arrested in 1962. I then proceeded to President Jacob Zuma’s home village of Nkandlah, where I spent a night at a friend’s home. It’s located just a few kilometers from the President’s palace. To compound the level of poverty in this home, I found myself having to shower from a metallic basin (the Banyankole call it Ekalaaya), inside my room. This was like falling from heaven straight to hell, comparing with my humble abode back home in Kampala-I was shell shocked that I wondered all night whether I was actually in South Africa or engrossed in a dream. Next morning, we visited neighboring communities, many with no land of their own, and unable to grow any food as the small chunks they occupy are mostly rocky. I bled on my heart, imagining the glamorous celebrations that greeted the end of apartheid, the olive branch miserably weathering away.
A stone’s throw from the poorest South African, I got ever closer to the much talked about President’s home. Oh my word! Beautiful would be an understatement since construction was still underway, but the visual impression was enough to tell that this development must cost quite some liquid cash. And when news started to spread that the President’s home was to cost South Africa 13 Million Pounds, I didn’t doubt. Jacob Zuma is never short of surprises-he was quoted during the recent elections as he justified the luxurious security detail at his home, that one time (before he became President), thugs broke into his home and raped one of his wives. No Your Excellency, find another excuse surely. Half this money could feed a Million hapless South Africans for a year and still the President would live luxuriously enough. It’s this gaping that casts a doubt on the exact taste of the end to Apartheid in South Africa-are decades of struggle burning away in a smoke screen?
At the end of the day, what South Africans must try to address, is the bad politics, which proliferates bad leaders. And a bad leader whether white or black, is bad. So now elections have confirmed a win for the ruling Africa National Congress (ANC)-that was wastage of time and money, because it was expected. And guess who will be named President the next day______Jacob Zuma. In the Ugandan setting, the people usually say, “No change”. Little does it ever occur to them that what you say is what you get most times. If a poor woman down in Nkandlah were seen shouting “No change”, it would be a sign of poor civic education, because deep in her heart, she actually yearns for some change however minute. Jacob Zuma must deliver this.
Politics being what it is- “who gets what, when and how”; this statement is neither male nor female, and therefore, neither white nor black. South Africans must wake up and re-affirm the kind of country they always genuinely dreamed of. This cannot be realized by political game players. Politics is a bad game in Kampala as is in Juba; in Addis Ababa as is in Kuala Lumpur; in Kigali as is in Kinshasha; politics is as bad in Abuja as it is in Lilongwe, and certainly Johannesburg stinks, and so does Durban-the black man is crying for a day’s meal, a reason to smile.
Unfortunately, unless power holders equitably distribute the national cake amongst the children of South Africa, a post-Mandela revolution remains inevitable.
The Minister of Agriculture Prof. Farah Elmi Mohamed Geedole speaking today said “The country is reeling against the fear of impending locust infestation getting out of control and wreaks havoc on agricultural lands in SL and that the Ministry of Agriculture urgently mobilized ministerial locust control teams to those areas which have being drastically affected by the latest locust infestation.
Prof Geedoole speaking to the media during a press conference held at the ministry headquarters today said, “As you’re all aware of locust have already damaged farm and pasture lands in Eeldaraad and Lughaya have already dispersed two from the CLS and DLCC teams to the most affected farming areas in a bid to spray pesticides areas where the insect have been breeding.
“We have established two offices one by the ministry and the other on is been FAO which are currently coordinating their efforts with Desert Locust control center in Rome , Italy and Addis Abba to monitor and counter the spread of the infestation”, He Stated.
Prof. Geedoole said, “We also think window of using airborne capabilities are over considering the problem now affects the pasturelands now but we are confident we shall come up with ways to deal with this problem.
The Agriculture Ministry and DLC teams arecurrently spraying the insects in those areas using chemicals that are not anyway harmful neither pose danger to both animals and Human beings and are effective in curbing the infestation.
The director general Mr. Abdullah Ismael Farah also speaking said, “The Ministry of Agriculture has in the past and will also in the future work in partnership with the FAO and DLC in the fight against the scourge.
The owner and founder of Haatuf and Somaliland Times Mr. Yusuf Abdi Gaboobe and the chief editor Ahmed Egge have today appeared before a Hargeisa court for the mentioning of the libel case filed by top government officials.
Judge Feisal “Dhago Dhago” the chief magistrate of Hargeisa district courts read the charges to the accused today in front of a packed court of which the accused plead not guilty to all charges leveled against them.
The court also heard the testimonies of the Minister of Interior Hon Ali Mohamed Waran Cade and the Minister of Energy and Mineral Hon Hussein Abdi Dualeh who took the stand to give evidence in the libel case.
The chief magistrate Feisal “Dhago Dhago” remanded the Haatuf duo for seven day until their next hearing.
The Somaliland authorities temporarily closed the premises of the paper nearly one month after court warrant after charges were filed against the paper by ministers against which he carried a slanderous campaign solely meant to irreversibly damage their personal and
President Obama was heckled on Thursday during a fund-raising speech in San Jose, California as he spoke to supporters about the need to cast their vote to ensure the Senate remains in Democratic control.
Reaching the end of his address to tech leaders, Obama was interrupted by a man in the crowd and without missing a step, told him that he should speak to him later because he was ‘screwing up the end of my speech.’
The heckler was excitedly shouting about his freedoms as a voter, to which the president replied he completely agreed, ‘although, why don’t we talk about it later because I am just about to finish, you and me, we’ll talk about it.’
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Let me finish: The president responds to his heckler, asking him to quieten down so he can finish his speech
Undeterred and seemingly uninterested in the president’s offer, the heckler continued to throw the president off, who shot back about how much he ‘wanted to hear’ from him.
In one amusing aside, the president, keen to complete his final message, told the man that despite his rude interruption, ‘I love you back.’
The president then finished up by telling the heckler that he was keen to finish but that he ‘kinda screwed up my ending.’
Addressing the tech leaders, the president warned his supporters to dig deep in their wallets to fund Democratic candidates and feel a sense of urgency about congressional elections in November or risk further gridlock in Washington and a failure to move on their priorities.
Love you back: The president said he was more than happy to speak to the heckler afterwards – but he was disappointed to be thrown off the end of his address
Obama was the headline speaker at four California fund-raising events, raising his two-day total to five. His last was a Silicon Valley event in San Jose co-hosted by Y Combinator President Sam Altman and Yahoo Inc CEO Marissa Mayer. About 250 people paid between $1,000 and $32,400 to attend.
During his remarks, Obama struck at the heart of the issue that Republicans are using against Democrats in their campaigns: The Affordable Care Act, the Obamacare law whose troubled rollout has given Obama’s political opponents much grist for criticism.
Republicans have mounted a strong effort to seize control of the Senate from Democrats and are also trying to build on their majority in the House of Representatives. Obama said the effort must be stopped in order to prevent more gridlock in Washington.
‘The reason that we’ve got gridlock right now is because you’ve got a party that’s been captured by folks who are on the wrong side of the issues,’ he said.
‘You kind of screwed up my ending!’ Obama deals with heckler
Free speech: A man shouts at President Barack Obama as Obama speaks at a Democratic National Committee reception in San Jose, California on Thursday
Obama, whose own job approval rating under 50 percent is weighing down Democratic prospects in November, said Republicans offer nothing more than their vow to repeal the healthcare law.
‘If that’s all they’ve got, then they shouldn’t be running either chamber, They shouldn’t be running the House. And they sure shouldn’t be running the Senate,’ he said.
The tech industry has raised questions about the scale of the National Security Agency’s surveillance under the Obama administration, but there’s little sign that Obama is losing support in Silicon Valley.
Obama made no mention of these concerns in his luncheon speech attended by 65 guests who paid up to $32,400 per couple for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
Obama told them that majorities of Americans support the direction that Democrats want to take the country, such as on raising the minimum wage and making sure women receive equal pay as men, but that they have ‘lost faith that we can actually make it happen’ because of Washington gridlock.
Great start: U.S. President Barack Obama is introduced to speak by Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer at a DNC fund raiser in San Jose, California
Important message: President Barack Obama speaks at a Democratic National Committee reception in San Jose, before he was heckled
Obama needs Democrats to do well in November to allow him to advance his agenda in his last two years in office, in 2015 and 2016.
But most political analysts believe Republicans will build on their House majority and stand a decent chance of winning the Senate.
Obama has been using fund-raising speeches to warn of this outcome, saying Democrats need to avoid getting distracted by media attention on the 2016 presidential election to choose a successor to him.
Obama said in La Jolla that Democrats need to gain seats ‘in order for us to not simply play defense but to actually go back on the offensive for the American people.’
Government needs to get serious in protecting residents
By Mausi Segun
The images of sorrowful parents, weeping profusely and brokenly asking when their daughters would be rescued, have struck a chord across Nigeria. The murmurs of discontent swelled with the government’s confused and inadequate responses to basic questions about the abduction of more than 276 girls from their secondary school by suspected Islamic militants. The frustration reached a crescendo when unconfirmed rumors surfaced that the girls might have been sold into marriage to members of the militant group for a $12 dowry.
Social media groups organized around the Twitter hashtag #BringBackOurGirls have demanded government action. Women’s groups and other concerned people have joined in solidarity with the grieving parents. Defying the pelting rain that soaked their red dresses and turned their posters into wet blobs, hundreds of people marched to the National Assembly in Abuja last Wednesday. Similar rallies have taken place in Kano and Lagos and in various cities around the world.
The abductions late in the evening of April 14, the same day an early morning bomb blast killed more than 70 people in a suburb of Abuja, was too much tragedy for most Nigerians. The dreaded insurgent group Boko Haram, which claimed responsibility for the deadly explosion, is also suspected in the abductions.
The Girls’ Secondary School in the town of Chibok had been closed since February along with all schools in Borno state after threats from Boko Haram. The school had reopened just so the girls could take their final exams. Disguised as security forces, Boko Haram apparently lured the girls into their vehicles. When the insurgents set fire to the school buildings and shot and killed a soldier and a policeman guarding the school, the authorities determined that they were most likely Boko Haram in disguise. Some of the girls managed to jump out of the moving trucks by holding onto low-hanging tree branches, while a few later escaped from the insurgents’ camp in the Sambisa Forest Reserve, 40 kilometers north.
Boko Haram, which roughly translates as “Western education is forbidden,” has either claimed responsibility or expressed support for previous attacks on schools in Nigeria’s beleaguered northeast region. In February, male students of the Federal Government College, in Buni Yadi, were killed, while the girls were ordered to leave school and get married. In Konduga in Feburary, unidentified gunmen abducted at least 20 students of Girls Science Secondary School, as well as five girls selling goods on the street.
In November, Human Rights Watch documented Boko Haram’s abduction of several girls and women, snatching them off the streets or public transport vehicles, or from their parents, throwing money at them, presumably as a form of dowry. Some of the girls later returned home, either pregnant or with babies.
Abubakar Shekau, the Boko Haram leader, threatened a year ago to embark on a series of kidnappings of women and children in retaliation for the arrest and detention by security forces of the wives and children of insurgents, including Shekau’s. In response, the Nigerian government, under the banner of its then-proposed dialogue program, released 96 women and children between May and July. Security forces, working with local vigilante groups, also claimed to have rescued several women following raids on the group’s camps in Borno State. This March, Shekau repeated his threat when hundreds of insurgents were killed during an attack on Giwa Barracks in Maiduguri.
It is difficult to understand, however, why Boko Haram, which has claimed responsibility for the abduction, would target this particular school. It could be that the insurgents considered the reopening of the school so close to a Boko Haram camp an affront. Or it may just be that, because of their constant movement, the insurgents needed a new supply of women and girls to take care of their domestic and sexual needs.
The Chibok abduction is one of many blamed on the insurgents, but it is unique in its scale and style, and the conflicting reports about the exact number of girls involved and whether any had been rescued by security forces.
The question for many Nigerians is where the security forces were when the gunmen sacked the town and then the school over a four-hour period. In addition, the short journey to Sambisa apparently took 48 hours because the insurgents’ trucks kept breaking down.
The protest marches are a statement that Nigerians have had enough of the government’s inability to combat the murderous scourge of Boko Haram. The government urgently needs a strategy for protecting its residents that respects everyone’s rights, including protesters. And it needs to address — finally — the systemic issues of corruption, poverty and impunity that have fueled this kind of violence against schoolgirls.
A new Ethiopian raw video is being circulated nationwide depicting the aftermath of the Oromo student protests in Ambo town of Oromia. The independently made video reveals a radically different side of the Oromo protests, showing widespread destruction of private and public property as well as a climate of fear for non-Oromos in Ambo.
The Oromo protests started two weeks ago demanding the suspension of the “Addis Ababa master plan.” While most news reports claimed the protests were peaceful, the raw video shows signs of a violent uprising. The video interviewed Ambo university officials who praised the Oromo students for being peaceful but condemned people outside campus for hijacking the protest.
Several banks, hotels and shops were burned down and looted by non-student protesters. The video revealed a city devastated by the Oromo protests.
The raw documentary film is taped by independent videojournalist Benyam Kebede, who local sources said is the most respected journalist in Ethiopia. He is famous for balanced reporting, covering both government corruption as well as positive developments in the country.
Some Oromo students interviewed by the journalist said their protest was hijacked by non-student outsiders. They also said no student was killed by the police, suggesting that the violent clash occurred only between non-students and security forces.
Other sources said a bank security officer and police were reportedly killed by the Oromo protestors.
The Ambo University president said some non-Oromo students from other ethnic group regions felt unsafe in Ambo so they hid inside churches for refugee. Witnesses said both Christians and Muslims united to prepare food and feed the non-Oromo refugees hiding in churches.
Some of the burned down businesses were reportedly owned by Oromo diaspora investors while others belong to the locals. Many of the businessmen victims said they decided to invest inside Ambo instead of Addis ababa because Ambo was their hometown. But now, many people have lost all their savings and lost everything they worked for their whole life, they revealed.
I had the opportunity to discuss with the head of the Somaliland mission to the UK regarding to the contribution of the current Kulmiye government led by the incumbent president, Ahmed Mohammed MohamudSiilanyo has made to our country. It was thought form his Excellency, Mr Ali Adan Awale to provide me with informed knowledge if the government had delivered its election manifestation pledge. To name for views, it has promised economic development to reduce extreme poverty, to promote good governance, to tackle corruption and to cut down on inefficiencies. Some government departments, and International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs)were believed to have been endemic with corruptions and inefficiencies before the current government came into power. Furthermore, securing international recognition for the Somaliland was the cornerstone of the government’s election promises. To this end, I put to his Excellency, Mr Awale as to what extent the government has met its promises to Somaliland public? And why should the government face up its people to have another five more years mandate to run the country?
Over view of government achievements
As I ama senior opposition politician who has been involved in Somaliland politics and has been one of the founders of both the Somaliland opposition political parties, I have made him aware that current government inherited a fully democratic and peaceful country. To this end, should the economic development and strengthening institutions have been what was elected for the current government in 2010?
His Excellency, in responding to my questions, reminded me of the achievements of current government. He stated that the Kulmiye government soon after coming into power, reviewed all government departments, including the police and armed forces to cut out the inefficiencies and corruption, including the international NGOs. He stated the outcome of government robustness had yielded a tangible and measured outcome – and within its first year into office it had increased the budget by 100% and paid off the debt it inherited from previous government. Furthermore, He stated that the government budget was $44 million when they came into power in 2010 and was increased to $152million according to the last budget.
He further elaborated by stating if it had not been the effective anticorruption policy by the government, it would not have been made huge savings.With this, I must have undoubtedly agreed with Mr Awale, that this government has been tough on corruption and its efficiency saving paid off huge dividends to the Somaliland workforce in the public sector; including the police and armed forces. They all saw their salaries increase by 100%. This does not mean it has been perfect and in my last visits I observed that many departments are by far underperforming owing to short of talent and expertise. It should have to be appealed to the altruism of likes of highly educated Somalilanders in the diaspora to go back to their country and the government should accommodate them.
However, the reduction in inefficiency and corruption, albeit the proceeds were distributed fairly and appears that it lifted many Somalilanders out of extreme poverty. Moreover, those who lost out their unearned income due to cutting corruption have waged unrelenting misinformation on government policies.For example, the last local election was said to be that the government had won by rigging it, whilst the international observers stated by far it had met the international standards. Notwithstanding, there had been issues of underage voting and repeated voting in some areas, however, it was stated that some opposition areas had been endemic with irregularities. I asked his Excellency what had been the government’s response to this allegation and why the government had not been able to get its good records across to the public to stem out misinformation. For example, it saved $105 million since it came into power. On the contrary, some rogue politicians were stating over exaggerated claims of widespread corruption within government, unsubstantiated. Ironically, those claims outwitted the government in spreading their myth, for example they accused the government to have poorly managed the $10 million Kuwait fundto rebuild Hargeisa and BerberaAirports. I asked if there had been poor public relations within the government.
In responding to this, he stated that the Somaliland president is not a new politician and has a good track record knownto be honest throughout his political career. As you stated, his efficiency saving and drive against corruption had saved more than $100 million, those who accused of government had mismanaged the $10 million from Kuwait was a malicious claim. Therefore, our people will judge our track record to be inextricably interwoven with good governance and increased prosperity. Furthermore, development projects have been carried up and down the country;and countless roads that have been completed and many more that are being built. I (Ahmed Isse) was of the views to have agreed to Mr Awale because when I visited Somaliland in November 2013 for the first time in five years, I was astounded by the development that had been made since the current government was elected.
Government on efficiency and anti-corruption policies aimed at International NGOs
The other area that I was very interested in was about the work of international NGOs because I had been a shadow secretary of Development and Coordination for my party for over 5 years. At that time, I was shocked that I had evidently noted the inefficiencies and corruption that had been endemic within international NGOs. It was documented that every $1 spent by the international NGOs prior 2010 it 80%- 90% had been going towards cost. What had made the situation worst was as the last governments were busy building democratisation and focused on peace and stability of our country as their priorities, the international NGOs had been left unregulated and unchecked of their activities. With this regard, the INGOs exploited to fit in their objective around the development discourse propagated by the World Bank and IMF, which favoured capacity building and empowerment as development policy prescribed to them. This was an outcast and not fit in Somaliland’s needs. It meant not to give in money to developing countries directly as it was believed to benefited only by the corrupt regimes and their families as was demonstrated in corrupt regimes of ZAIRE and Nigeria who had outsourced billions worth of aid money into Swiss personalaccounts in the mid-1980s.
In exploiting the situation of Somaliland and Somalia, International NGOs flooded into the country with an approximation of over one hundred to being operating in Somaliland. The INGOS were all carrying out a duplicate work –and the vast majority of funding provided to Somaliland via international NGos had been spent in the most wasteful way. This means, funding that should have been gone into development projects, including health and education as key priorities had been spent on holding endless conferences in hotels in capital of Somaliland. Millions of dollars’ worth of funding spent in such a wasteful way by the name of capacity and empowerment building conferences and workshops that had not made a measured development.I asked his Excellency what had been the steps taken to cut the inefficiencies and corruptions within international NGOs?
He replied to this, the Somaliland government policy on corruption was paying dividends to, not only government departments who were targeted as you mentioned but as well, International NGOs, which were accused of, to be endemic with inefficiency and corruption
The government has introduced a licensing agreement with INGOS, which required their work to reflect on the Somaliland National Development priority needs that have not existed under any previous governments. With this, all INGOS were required to register the country and consult with the Ministry of planning and coordination before constructing a one size fit project for our country. Today, we have seen see the huge difference the international community funding has impacted on our country. Good example is the Somaliland development fund in which the government directs the international development funding to prioritise areas.
Finally, he said his government’s track record appeals to the Somaliland people to give an opportunity for another term in office to induce five more prosperous years to accomplish its mission to economic development and getting this country internationally recognised.
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By Goth Mohamed Goth
As he scoffs at President Hassan’s gaffe 
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Government needs to get serious in protecting residents