Hargeisa Urban Water Supply upgrading Project (HUWSUP) which is a 42 month project, principally funded by the European Union, and implemented by UN-Habitat, in partnership with the Hargeisa Water Agency and the Somaliland Ministry of Water Resources.
Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, has a rapidly growing population. The principal water infrastructure for the city was built in the 1970s, and is not only aged and dilapidated, but also cannot meet the growing demand for clean, potable water. Hargeisa’s limited water availability is a critical shortcoming in essential service delivery, and seriously impedes the right to water access and local economic development.
HUWSUP is a 42-month programme of construction and capacity building. Beginning on 6 December 2012, the official groundbreaking will take place in January 2014, with the completion of infrastructure works by December 2015. Reporting and defects liability will take a final six months until July 2016.
HUWSUP will build a new pipeline, and rehabilitate and improve pumping and booster capabilities. In addition, HUWSUP will rehabilitate old or degraded boreholes, and drill new production and exploratory boreholes so as to further develop Hargeisa’s principal wellfield, and expand the availability of sustainable water sources.
Impact Objectives
HUWSUP will replace the current twin-transmission main that runs from the principal well field at Geed Deeble to Hargeisa with a high-capacity, single pipeline. This action will dramatically increase the capacity of Hargeisa’s system of supply from the current average of 9 million litres to a maximum capacity of 20 million litres a day: a 122 percent increase.
Upgrading the pumping and booster facilities will put in place up-to-date and cost-efficient technology, further securing the system for the long term.
By re-drilling and rehabilitating the existing boreholes, and developing new ones, HUWSUP will increase the water supply by a minimum of 3.5 million litres every day, bringing Hargeisa closer to international minimum standards for urban water consumption. This water will be safe and affordable, improving the lives of Hargeisa residents.
Undertaken in partnership with the Hargeisa Water Agency, HUWSUP will contribute to enhanced capacities in the fields of planning, management and delivery of capital works; and will support the Agency to further develop and fund improvements to the water supply system.
UAE Khaliifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation through the Afro Arabian Gulf Drilling and Construction Company have completed and handed over 10 boreholes drilled and equipped in the Humbowaayne Basin approximately 30 km NE of Hargeisa City.
On successful completion of phase II of this alternative water supply where pipelines, booster stations and water storage will be constructed, the city of Hargeisa will see an additional 6,000 cum (at least) of water to the Hargeisa City Water Supply system.
This additional water will be targeted at the areas of Hargeisa currently not receiving water. Further the additional water will see an increase of household connections and a sharp reduction in water trucking to the capital through un-hygienic water tankers pumping water from contaminated shallow riverbed aquifers.
By M.A Egge
The regional governor for Dadmadeed region refuted press reports that an anti-government demonstration was held in Odweine.
“I state that there was no demonstration held against the tour of the delegation led by the Presidency Minister Hon. Hersi Ali Haji Hassan,” said Gov. Jamal Hussein Hurre.
He was distraught that “the press blew issues out of proportions”.
He elaborated that the real issue was that of the arrest of two members of the youth apprehended for hurling abusive words towards Togdeer regional development committee chairman Mr. Mohamud Adan Deri that was blown out of proportion.
The governor said that the state would continue keeping its bargain on the part of the construction of Burao /Odweine/ Hargeisa road.
He said that a meeting that discussed in details the issue of being steadfast towards continued efforts in building the road was held in his office whereby a major mobilization for the construction was adopted.
He thanked the government for constructing 20km of the road.
He said that the committee was given Odweine donations of 250 goats and 35 thousand USD.
Gov. Hurre further said that an Odweine councilor instigated some youth members when he peddled rumours in town claiming that he was denied audience to speak on issues afflicting the region.
By Goth Mohamed Goth
The Director General in the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources has refuted reports carried by local media which claimed that the government had “sold” the publicly owned NEC Fish to private enterprise.
A week earlier on riots broke out in the port city of Berbera, as claimed by the local media then, concerning the public facilities.
Speaking to the media during a press conference on Saturday held at the ministry headquarters the director of fisheries strongly refuted reports which alleged that the government owned facility used for the storage of fish by local fishermen was sold to a private firm known as Al Harbi Holdings.
“The Ministry of Fisheries is in charge of 2 storage facilities and has leased the NEC Fishing facility to two companies of which one is a foreign owned and a local owned company the other one similar to it is known as Batalale and its currently being managed by Sultan Mahmoud Ahmed Sheik and Mr. Ibrahim Dhegoweyne and a privately owned storage facility known as Untied Fishing”, He said.
The DG added , “If Al Harbi holdings is interested in investing in the natural resources of the country then they are welcomed to do so; further more they are citizens of this country and they‘re entailed to invest anywhere they want”.
He continued to say, “I urge fellow countrymen not to tarnish the reputation of fellow citizens who are benefitting the country by investing in the abundant natural wealth”.
Brigadier –General Abdillahi Fadal Iman has in an interview with the BBC Somali language revealed the reason wh y in the dead of night crack units of the Rapid Response Unit stormed the house of the former deputy governor of Togdheer region Mr. Guled Dahir Samater.
The police chief in his interview with British Broadcaster cited the reason which prompted the arrest and detention of the former administrator as being related to charges related to incitement of publicdisorder in Burao some two weeks ago which lead to death one civilian.
In the interview with BBC Somali language the police commandant didn’t give further details on the matter , the detained former government official is currently being detained in undisclosed location in the port town of Berbera but his whereabouts are still unclear.
Somaliland tax system was first introduced by the British Protectorate administration in the early 20th century, the people of Somaliland Protectorate considered taxation an unjust imposition by the colonizing or Protectorate power and thus it is unclean and profane. In addition to that the business and trade activities were very limited; At that time the British Protectorate administration faced a constraint in taxing, and its budget was required subsidies from the British government, because the amount of revenue collected was not applicable to cover the expenditures of the administration. After 76 years of harmonious association with Great Britain, during that period the people of Somaliland fought alongside Great Britain in the two World Wars, thus Somaliland achieved a negotiated Independence from Great Britain on the 26th June 1960. After that Somaliland neighboring country Somalia became independent from Italy one week after Somaliland, following which the two independent Somali ‘States’ unite to become the Republic of Somalia, from 1960, to 1991, to be an illegal partnership only. In short, Somaliland and Somalia were two countries whose many differences far outnumbered the similarities that had made them want to unite in the first place. Because of these differences, conflict between Somaliland and Somalia was inevitable and became apparent very soon after union. It was aggravated further when the capital was moved to Mogadishu, taking with it the economy and everything else that mattered to the people of Somaliland. Furthermore the extent of public financial management legal framework comprise the Financial and Accounting procedures of the State, Regulations for the Accounts of the State, and Stores Regulations; which regulate public financial transactions. These regulations were promulgated in 1961 with some amendments made in 1971. There are also, custom regulations (1965) that form the basis for the assessment of custom duties.
The political crisis in the 1980s sparked a major armed conflict in the former protectorate (Somaliland British Protectorate and Somalia Italian Protectorate).The conflict between the people of Somaliland and the government of Somalia worsened and culminated into an all out war. By 1988, the government of Somalia resorted to the aerial bombardment of the major cities of Somaliland, and indiscriminately killed the inhabitants, destroyed civilian dwellings, schools, hospitals, and mosques. The report of the American Human Rights Watch described the brutality they witnessed as ‘A Government at war with its own people’. Following the collapse of Somalia’s central authority in 1991, the Republic of Somaliland claimed back again its independence and formed its own government and has achieved a remarkable degree of peace and stability, this allowed the country and its population to recover from the civil war, but predominantly overwhelmed by poor tax system, which is expanding rapidly.
Taxes are essential for the financing of Government activities, but at the same time, they should be set and administered to be as growth enabling as possible. As would be expected, no formal tax policy exists in the absence of a formal government apparatus such as treasury and central bank. However, Somaliland’s do adhere to an informal patchwork of duty and tax collection. The duty and tax provide a large portion of the income enjoyed by Somaliland government. There are mainly two types of business taxes in Somaliland. The two are duty levied on all import and export goods at the ports and income tax charged on business sales at a rate of 5%. For instance, the duties levied at the port of Berbera generate an estimated 85% of government revenue. The latter is very similar to sale tax which is levied on sale turnover of the business at rate of 5%. Consumers also pay 5% on consumption of goods and services, which is equivalent to Value Added Tax (VAT), paid by the sellers instead of the buyers (consumers) who are the collecting agents for the government. Employees pay tax on their salaries commonly known as the payroll tax which is equivalent personal income tax (PAYE- pay as you earn) at rate of 6%. The businesses pay property tax at rate of 8% of their total property investment. Ministry of Finance collected the taxes. The formulation and administration of tax structure is work of the Ministry of finance in collaboration with the Central Bank which only acts as Treasury for the government. Usually, the Ministry officials visit the businesses in quest for collecting the taxes. The taxes are self assessment and declaratory. No rigorous record/book keeping is required for the purpose of ascertaining the taxes, rather entrepreneurs are required to keep only sales records. There are other levies and user charges levied to business by sector specific government ministries and other agencies. These are mainly charged on provision of government services such as issuance of registration, licenses and permits, and provision government social services. It would appear that there has been little co-ordination between the various authorities in the way these charges and fees have been levied and reported. Although these taxes provide revenue to the government, it is not clear whether they are efficient in terms of administration and collections costs. The informal sector and micro and small enterprises account for the majority of businesses in the Somaliland, making the tax base small and unreliable. Majority of these businesses are not captured into the tax net and the tax compliance cost for those in the net is high. Many operators keep little or no information and data on their operations making it difficult to correctly assess tax liabilities, implying there is unfair competition among the enterprises. This contributes to the susceptibility of non compliance by the taxpayers. The fact that administration of all taxes has not been vested in one/single agent has diluted functional revenue collection organizational structure. This explains the switch in emphasis from general taxes to specific taxes targeted to specific activities targeted to the same group of taxpayers. This is because they are relatively easy and inexpensive to administer. Consequently, there is inordinate focus revenue collection by the government agencies rather than investment promotion and facilitation. The study also revealed that the level of service delivery does not meet the citizen’s expectation since the government’s spending on basic services is insufficient. This results in the majority of the citizens avoiding tax payment.
Poorly designed or poor functions of tax system create a variety of problems in Somaliland some of them include Fiscal imbalance and insufficient revenue, distortions in resource allocation that can reduce economic welfare and growth, Inadequate provision of equity, poor administration of taxes thus Since taxes are involuntary payments to government taxpayers have a strong incentive to minimize their tax liabilities either through avoidance or through evasion. Both evasion and avoidance seriously compromise the administration of tax system, producing a system that departs significantly in its operation from the one that is described in the tax legislation. An important contributing factor to weak tax administration in Somaliland is the excessive complexity of tax laws, furthermore there are a number of causes for tax evasion such as Inadequacy of powers vested in the hands of personnel to gather facts to determine the tax liability of taxpayer, Shortage of experienced tax personnel, Absence of proper punishment for those who evade tax. With the aim of facilitating the overall development of the economy, the Government of Somaliland must undertake a comprehensive tax reform program that measures the intended to encourage trade, investment & development and thereby to alleviate poverty because there are difficult signals indicating need to renovate tax system. The important among them are:
1. Complex and outdated tax laws: The tax law, which was put into practice for more than 53 years could not serve the current economic set up and could not go with globalization and automation. Complexity in tax laws together with high rates and many tax brackets, and narrow tax bases could not help the system collect the due revenue, for instance in this year 2014 Somaliland government impose vehicles high tax rates with few tax brackets.
2. Weak Tax administration: Tax administration was characterized by weak assessment, collection, follow up, and enforcement due to lack of skilled manpower, proper work procedures.
3) Failure to generate adequate revenue to meet government expenditure: Government could not collect the tax revenue due in past years. This resulted in fiscal imbalance in the economy.
Finally we recommended Ministry of finance to take substantive measures in reforming the country’s old system of taxation, because reducing poverty requires economic growth, a large volume of investment and, not least, more jobs in poor countries. Effective and sustainable development also depends on provision of a wide range of welfare services such as education, health care and infrastructure. These cost money, and development aid will never be able to fully meet this need. Better tax systems will provide poor countries with revenues on a permanent basis that are large enough to finance a welfare society. An effective tax system provides a more equitable distribution of wealth and power, which in turn strengthens economic growth over the long term. Thus the programme Tax for Development can be used to drive development in a positive direction.
Djiboutian Authorities on New Year’s Day detained without an explanation several opposition USN activists who were had gathered outside the UDJ party headquarters near the Avenue Nasser to attend the usual annul opposition gathering at the site.
At 10 am, plain clothes policemen surrounded the suburb of Balbala cutting it from the rest of the capital before storming the usually busy venue using brutal force to arrest dozens of USN supporters who were later remanded in the murky cells Detention Centre Nagad and the other various police stations across the capital. Thus, thirteen activists gathered at the police station of the 2nd arrondissement.
The names of those detained are as follows Yacin Doualeh Galab Harbi said Halima Hussein Elmi, Charmarke Darar Said Moussa Mohamed Houmed, Abdirazak Djibril Said Mohamed Elmi Houffaneh Moussa Hussein Elmi, Kalil Omar Bileh, Mahdiya Khaireh Moussa Abdi Neima Guireh Fozia Robleh Hadi (beaten by police), Mariam Mohamoud Ahmed Moussa and Maleko Adaweh. Nine were crammed Nagad. This is Kaltoun Elmi Waberi, Nima Yusuf, Willo Abass Ali, Hassan Boulboul Souad, Idil Abubaker Waiss, Fatuma Djama Robleh, Kadra Ali Hassan, and Hassan Hassan Egueh Absieh Ainan. Moreover, young Djoueria Kadar Elmi, Robleh Chabad Hussein Osman Yonis Bogoreh, Abdulkarim Barreh Aden and Abdulaziz Hussein said Miguil Tamaweyne were being held in police Balbala.
Those arrested were released late on Wednesday night, except Osman Yonis Bogoreh, Abdulkarim Bareh Aden and Abdulaziz Hussein said Miguil Timaweyneh who were released on Thursday evening.
Click the link below to watch the Video of the peaceful demonstration on Friday, January 3, 2014
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International relations Hon Mohamed Bihi Yunis has announced that the ongoing talks between Somaliland and Somalia are expected to resume next month in Istanbul, Turkey.
Hon Bihi speaking to the media moments after arriving in the country from a recent trip abroad said, “The Somaliland –Somalia talks are expected to begin most probably in the coming week in Istanbul, Turkey and Somaliland delegation is expected to leave the country on Sunday this contrary to earlier media reports which had alleged that the talks were on the verge of collapse,
The Foreign Minister went on to say, “I and my counterpart the Honorable Minister of Commerce and International Investment Dr. Mohamed Abdullah Omer during our trip we met with representatives of a Ditoil a major petrochemical firm which exports more than 400 Million Barrels of petrol products annually in a bid to discuss the companies interests in using the port of Berbera facility as storage and transit point for its products on the way to the Ethiopian and other east African countries , I hope our meeting shall bear fruits”,
The FM also responding to earlier statement made by the UCID’s Presidential aspirant Hon Jamal Ali Hussien which alleged that the current governments foreign policies had failed had this to say, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations and also the gateway to Somaliland in the eyes of the international community so instead of issuing inappropriate statements which will scare away potential investors one should do his best as a citizen to sell the good image of the country and also to attract those investors to come to the country to invest .
“The world has reached a stage whereby it’s important for nations to invest in development and the economy, things which in the future may deter the massive exodus or the illegal immigration of our youth to foreign countries in search of greener pastures, so I believe it’s the moral duty of each and every citizen old and young to attract foreign investment which will benefit the country and that is also one of the important policies of the foreign ministry”, stated Hon Mohamed Bihi Yonis.
The Secretary-General is appalled by the bombings yesterday in front of the Jazeera Hotel in Mogadishu. He expresses his heartfelt condolences to the families of those killed and wishes those injured a swift recovery.
The Secretary-General pays tribute to the Somali security forces, which reacted quickly to restore order and incurred several casualties in the explosions, and to AMISOM which supported them.
The Secretary-General is determined to support the Somali Government in preventing such attacks and holding the perpetrators accountable. These acts of terrorism against the Government and people of Somalia will not detract from the significant progress made in Somalia. In this new year, the Secretary-General strongly affirms his undeterred resolve to support the Federal Government of Somalia and the Somali people in strengthening state institutions and furthering peace and security.
There are nearly six hundred thousand residents in Hargeysa (which counts as half of its population of 1.2 million) who have not had running water for the past eighteen years. Administration came and went promising during the campaign addressing this issue and dealing with it as their first priority, but nothing has been done thus far. Instead of taking steps to eliminate the pain and suffering of this population, government introduced new taxes targeting water trucks that were life lane of these residents.
Consequently, people lost their patience and peacefully protested in Hargeysa this week. As expected, authority confronts protesters with machine guns and live ammunitions killing two and wounding eleven of them. To make this matter worse, government officials give out distorted account of the incident.
To deny the rights of these fellow citizens who have been peacefully protesting against water shortage in the city the authority accused the victims as being traitors who were organized by a foreign element and are politically motivated.
According to the sources in Hargeysa Hospital, one of the victims who took a bullet into his neck still has that bullet sitting there because doctors have refused to operate until the boy’s family pays three hundred dollars US ($300).
Surprisingly, the young and inexperienced mayor who inherited the position took authorities advice and dismissed Hargeysa’s water shortage; and, the City water supply director was shocked to hear this news. Clearly, this shows the incompetence of these individuals and the neglectful behavior of the central government about the plight of Hargeysa residents who are slowly dying because of unsanitary conditions and water bound diseases for many years.
This is not the first time that Hargeysa resident could not control their frustrations about the water shortage and took to the streets. Similar and spontaneous riots had happen six years ago after water drilling rig which had been drilling water wells South East direction of the city suddenly transferred by the authority to the western part of the country. Five people died and fifteen wounded in that demonstration. The total number of Hargeysa citizens who died due to the violence during protests so far is seven and twenty six wounded, six critically.
To be fair, it was known fact that previous government secured some investment for this cause and start drilling water wells in Dararweyne area. According to a source, more than fourteen water wells has been drilled, inter connected and ready to be pumped into the Eastern part of the city.
However, time and time again people in Hargeysa get conflicting information about the progress of project and cannot comprehend why it is taking so long. Also, they cannot digest why the current water supply of Hargeysa is not distributed equally to all citizens of the city.
Eighteen years of waiting for the authority to provide basic drinking water to the people of Hargeysa took its toll. People lost trust of their leaders and had doubts whatever information was publicized about this issue.
In addition, to control the people who are demanding their basic rights, government uses police brutality and indiscriminate killing. Shooting and killing angry children throwing stones cannot be justified in any circumstance. It is cold blooded murder and it is the responsibility of the government to answer to the public.
Whatever the case maybe, it is clear, Hargeysa water shortage and the plight of its resident is not included in the current government’s list of priorities. The government is in the mood to campaign, and is busy with securing votes and supporters, while ignoring and neglecting its basic responsibility of their citizens in Hargeysa. The slogan of this campaign is the road to Erigavo city. One asks how on earth any sound politician can dismiss 600,000 people which made up to 17.1% of 3.5 million of Somaliland population and still wants to govern, but everything is possible in Africa.
Nevertheless, it is time Mr. Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud (Siraanyo), the president of Somaliland to do paradigm reshuffle by reorganizing his priority list. Having clean running water is basic human rights and it has been recognized as such in the United Nations Charter of Human Rights.
Building roads improves movement of goods, people and economy in general, but, does not negate the right to have running water. In fact, other social services such as health, education and security come before the roads. The Hargeysa water issue had been one of your campaign promises and people have been waiting for you patiently to this day.
Also, it is the time for elected of officials such as Parliament, House of Elders, opposition parties and any responsible citizen who has some dignity left in his soul speak up and bring government leaders in to account by asking relevant questions regarding this matter. “If it’s not in my house it is not my problem” mentality will not serve any purpose and does not lead a destitute nation out of misery. Remember history will not hide any official who mismanages public funds, ignore calls for his tax payers and abuses his personal authority while he is in office.
Somali producers of agriculture, fishery and livestock were once Africa’s best and most competitive economic drivers leading in the trade and substantive export of millions of livestock, hundreds of thousands of tons of banana, seafood and sesame export. However, the late 80s and early 90s civil strife and subsequent collapse of the central government weakened the export of livestock while the banana and seafood trade and export collapsed entirely. The major banana export mainly to Europe stopped while livestock export to the Middle East suffered a 9-year ban.
For the last four years, substantive efforts from the Somali producers with the increased support from the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and other development partners has increased and sustained investment in Somali Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries sectors with a major objective of reducing the country’s food insecurity but also revamp the collapsed economies as well as the export potential. With a new political dispensation in Somalia and existing stability in Somaliland and Puntland as well as the increasing peace and infrastructure in the Ethiopian Somali region and economic growth in the other Somali regions in Kenya and Djibouti; there are already credible signs of recovery and potential economic growth.
As a result, in this year, Somali producers will register a 5-million livestock export record- the world’s second largest after Australia and the highest in decades whilst banana, fruit and vegetable exports have also gradually. This progress has created a growing optimism as business confidence is beginning to grow, paving the way for a full economic recovery that is fully linked to the regional and international trade.
