Kenya Recognises a New Somalia State

Kenya Recognises a New Somalia State

Kenya has endorsed the latest regional state in Somalia, a move that is likely to offend Mogadishu.

The Central government of the neighboring country has been uncomfortable with Kenya's "continued fragmentation" of its fragile administration.

Deputy President William Ruto yesterday hosted the president of the new South West State of Somalia, Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan in his Karen home in Nairobi.

"Kenya would assist in stabilising individual states of the Federal Government of Somalia as prerequisite to bringing stability to the whole country and the region at large," Ruto said.

Sharif Hassan is a former Finance minister and speaker of parliament. He was ousted in 2011 as speaker after he held "unauthorised" talks with the Union of Islamic Courts which later morphed into the al Shabaab militia group.

He has business interests in Nairobi as well.

Mogadishu has been uncomfortable with Kenya's "crowning" of regional leaders in the name of Somalia's unity and prosperity.

Last May, Somalia temporarily recalled its ambassador, partly in protest of Kenya's close association with the Jubaland region.

The Interim South West State of Somalia which brings together the Bay, Bakool and Lower Shabelle regions has its capital in Baidoa and it borders Jubaland to the east.

It was inaugurated in November last year in a process supported by Intergovernmental Authority on Development and United Nations Operations in Somalia (Unisom).

Baidoa is the headquarters of African Union Mission to Somalia's Sector Three, manned by Kenyan and Ethiopian forces. It is considered an important town in the fight against al Shabaab.

The formation of the state in Last November was vehemently opposed by the Somalia's parliament led by speaker Mohamed Osman Jawaari. There were also demonstrations in Baidoa opposing the new administration.

The South West state becomes the fourth semi-autonomous state of Somalia. Others are Puntland, Somaliland and Jubaland.

Somaliland cut links with Mogadishu years ago and is fighting for international recognition as an independent country. It has democratically elected its president and is largely considered a success story.

Abdiwahab Sheikh Abdisamad, an analyst with Southlink Consultants and Horn of Africa political scientist at Kenyatta University said Somalia's lack of a clear foreign policy towards Kenya has created fodder for former warlords to claim leadership within their ethnic base.

"While the central governmental of Somalia was aware and actually involved in formation of this state, the latest visit to Kenya by Shariff Hassan must leave Mogadishu uncomfortable as it considers it subordination by Hassan," he said.

Analysts say Kenya and Ethiopia want local administrative units to support them against al Shabaab and to avoid any influx of refugees into their countries. The state is also considered a favourite destination of repatriated Somalia refugees from Kenya.

Kenya was instrumental in the formation of Jubaland, another self-declared autonomous region, which it sought to use as a buffer against al Shabaab. Jubaland is led by Sheikh Ahmed Mohamed Islam (Madobe) who fought alongside the Kenya Defence Forces during Operation Linda Nchi in 2011.

He was the commander a militia called the Ras Kamboni brigade. Efforts to speak to speak to officials at Kenya's Foreign Affairs ministry did not materialise as phones went unanswered.

Yesterday, Ruto said Kenya "has no other interest in Somalia other than bringing peace and stability to the country".

"We do not want anybody to take advantage of the fragile situation in Somalia and incubate people to destabilise the country and the region," he said.

Ruto said the government is ready to participate in the reconstruction of Somalia through the Joint Cooperation Commission established in 2013 to tackle development issues between the two countries.

"As African leaders, we should be in the front line in helping our brothers and sisters in Somalia," he said.

"We can be limited in capacity but not in willingness to assist."

On his part, President Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan thanked Kenya for its support against al Shabaab.

"We are happy with Kenya's assistance in resolving the problems in Somalia, and we are urging that Kenyan troops be allowed to traverse the interior of the country which is still under the control of al Shabaab and help in liberating it," he said.

He appealed to Kenya to assist in building the capacity of his government especially in police, the justice system and in intelligence gathering.

 

Kenya Recognises a New Somalia State

byUnknown

in Kenya, News By Country, News From Africa, Politics, Somalia

09:27

Kenya Recognises a New Somalia State

Kenya Recognises a New Somalia State Kenya has endorsed the latest regional state in Somalia, a move that is likely to offend Mogadishu. The...

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Kenya MPs Fight Over Security Bill

Kenyan lawmakers have traded blows and the deputy speaker had water thrown on her amid a chaotic parliamentary session called to push through a tough new security bill.

Opposition MPs shouted and ripped up copies of the bill, warning that Kenya was becoming a "police state".

Four lawmakers were assaulted and another two engaged in a fist-fight.

Parliamentary officials adjourned the debate twice, only for the chaos to continue when it resumed a third time.

The government says it needs more powers to fight militant Islamists threatening Kenya's security.

The al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab group has stepped up its military campaign in Kenya, killing 64 people in two attacks in the north-eastern Mandera region since last month.

Policemen arrest a man protesting about controversial new security legislation outside parliament 18 December 18 2014 in Nairobi, Kenya

At one point, live television broadcasts of the debate were cut as the session degenerated into chaos, reports the BBC's Emmanuel Igunza from outside parliament.

A group of pro-government MPs accosted opposition senators who were in the public gallery and tried to eject them, he says.

In the ensuing commotion, one of the senators had his shirt torn, while outside the parliamentary chamber an opposition and pro-government MP threw punches at each other, he adds.

Opposition MPs threw water on Deputy Speaker Joyce Laboso and she ordered two of them to be thrown out, our reporter says.

Earlier, opposition MPs chanted "No way" and "The struggle continues" as they tore up copies of the bill.

There is a heavy police presence around parliament, after activists called for #OccupyParliament protests to show their opposition to the bill, our correspondent says.


Al-Shabab has increasingly targeted Kenya MPs were recalled from their Christmas break to approve changes to the bill passed last week.

The bill was denounced by the opposition as draconian and they fear that the proposed amendments will make it even worse.

It gives the security and intelligence agencies the right to detain terror suspects for up to one year, to tap communications without court consent and requires journalists to obtain police permission before investigating or publishing stories on domestic terrorism and security issues.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has defended the bill, saying it is important for the country's security needs.

byUnknown

in Kenya, News From Africa, Politics

06:13

Kenya MPs Fight Over Security Bill

Kenyan lawmakers have traded blows and the deputy speaker had water thrown on her amid a chaotic parliamentary session called to push throug...

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Kenya: Ruto Calls for an End to Tribal Politics

Deputy President William Ruto on Friday criticized leaders bent on tribal politics warning that they risk becoming irrelevant to the country's leadership.

Speaking at Gionseri girls secondary school in Bobasi, Kisii county where he officiated a fundraiser, Ruto told the leaders still dwelling on hostile politics to instead build individual political careers.

He said tribal or religious intolerance no longer have relevance in the country and asked Kenyans to unite and speak as one people.

"The politics of this country is changing. We have embraced the concept of unity among our people. We want to unite the country to create synergy and momentum to drive our economy," he said.

Despite criticism from some opposition leaders, Ruto reiterated that he and President Uhuru Kenyatta will continue visiting all corners of the country taking development to the people. He said no amount of criticism will discourage them from that mission.

Ruto further lashed out at those making tribal sentiments with the aim of benefiting from the resultant confusion telling them they were doomed to fail.

On agriculture, he decried the falling prices of tea on the world market saying the government was seized of the matter and was appealing to Parliament to remove some of the many taxes imposed so that farmers reap maximum returns from the crop.

On education, Ruto restated that the government had increased funds for free primary schools from 10 billion to 14 billion in 2014 and from 20 billion to 28 billion for secondary schools.

He asked those in charge of managing the funds to exercise high levels of accountability, saying the money must be used well to benefit the children of Kenya.

Noting that education is the greatest investment one can make, Ruto called on the management boards of Constituency Development Funds (CDF) to increase their allocations to the schools in their constituencies.

He announced that the national government will build 100 kilometers of tarmac roads in Kisii county every year for the next three years noting that the 2014 programme was at the tendering stage.

Ruto also said Kisii, Nyamache and Marani hospitals will be elevated to level five hospitals and that some Sh350 million had already been set aside for each hospital to buy facilities to realize the goal.

Addressing the gathering, Charles Nyachae, chairman of the Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution (CIC), said there is a misunderstanding on what the constitution intended devolution to be.

Saying there is need for more civic education on the matter, Nyachae explained that devolution entails taking more services to the people at the grassroots level and not necessarily more money to the counties.

"We need huduma mashinani and not pesa mashinani," he said.

Nominated Senator Janet Ongera lauded jubilee's way of governing the country noting that even those in the opposition could not help admiring the pomp of the reception that greeted Kenyatta upon his arrival from The Hague on Thursday.

"Even the calls for Okoa Kenya are meant to give us work. Do you want us to remain without work?" she posed.

Other speakers included MPs Stephen Manoti (Bobasi), Elijah Moindi (Nyaribari Masaba), Kisoi Munyao (Mbooni) and David Gikaria (Nakuru west), who hit out at the Okoa Kenya referendum proponents saying Kenyans did not need a plebiscite to resolve challenges facing the country.

Kisii Governor James Ongwae and Senator Chris Obure also spoke at the function.

- DPPS

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byUnknown

in Calls, Kenya, News From Africa, Politics, Tribal

01:14

Kenya: Ruto Calls for an End to Tribal Politics

Deputy President William Ruto on Friday criticized leaders bent on tribal politics warning that they risk becoming irrelevant to the country...

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