A press statement from WFP’s headquarters in Rome stated that with the independent inquiry team that is to investigate the allegation which says half of the food meant to the poor Somalis was corrupted by Somali contractors, the insurgent groups and some WFP workers in Somalia.

“The integrity of our organization is paramount and we will be reviewing and investigating each and every issue raised by this report,” WFP executive director Josette Sheeran said in a statement.

The report by the UN Security Council which is not yet made public accuses the WFP with giving three Somali contractors who are involved in arms trading US$ 200 Million but WFP insisted it only gave those three contractors only US$ 41.4 Million.

WFP which the largest organization which provides food aid in the world feeds over 4 Million Somalis who live in South and Central Somalia.

A press statement from Puntland’s information minister Mr. Abdihakim Ahmed Guled said that the authority of Puntland was shocked to hear that the report accused Puntland leaders with participating in piracy activities while they were trying hard to stop the vice.
The statement claimed that the report was made by anti-Puntland elements who want to mess the reputation of Puntland.

Puntland called for the Security Council of the UN to make an investigation in to the reported and pledged that Puntland will collaborate with the investigating team.

The report which will be taken to the UN secretary general’s office next week, accuses some of the top officials in Puntland authority of being part of the pirates network thus acquiring huge sums of money from the activity.

The foreign ministry has summoned the deputy chief of UNAMID Mr. Yunis Mohamed, and informed him of the operations of UNAMID without regarding the Sudanese militaries advice.

Unidentified armed men ambushed a UNAMID patrol in Jebel Marra on Friday March 5 and released them twenty four hours later after robbing their vehicles, equipments, personals belongings and money. Also, a peacekeeper was shot in the head by the attackers during the ambush.

The 60-member patrol was in the area of Deribat in South Darfur , to assess the humanitarian situation, following reports about heavy fighting between the Sudanese army and SLA-led by Abdel Wahid Al-Nur that triggered displacement of thousands of civilians.

The acting undersecretary of the foreign ministry, Ambassador Haidar Haj Al-Siddiq, asked the UNAMID deputy chief to clarify the circumstances of the attack. He also requested to form a joint fact-finding mission to investigate the ambush.

The Sudanese officials also asked the removal of the Nigerian battalion from the area and be replaced with another country. Last month Sudanese army said UNAMID willingly supplied the rebel Justice and Equality Movement with food and fuel.
The Sudanese army said that JEM hijacked six trucks belonging to UNAMID, after which the peacekeepers did not report the incident to authorities

Magistrate Ms Lilian Motinda delivering the ruling said that these sentences will reduce piracy cases in the Somali coast where piracy is very rampant.

More than 100 Somalis suspected of piracy are in Kenyan jails waiting for court rulings while others have been sentenced to at least 7 years in prison.

The failed state of Somalia provides the perfect haven for pirates, which prey on the busy shipping lanes nearby. The Somali government is fighting Alshabab and Hizbul Islam insurgency and cannot take on the well-armed, well-paid pirate gangs as well. Ransoms are typically several million dollars — a fortune in a war-ravaged country where nearly half the population is dependent on aid.

The president who is Britain for official duties gave a speech which was touching on many things among them the current situation in Somalia, the Diaspora Communities, the difficulties that the internally displaced Somalis are facing, how those are oppesed to his government are preventing peace in Somalia and what he discussed with the UK premier Gordon Brown.

The president talked in depth about the pathetic situation that Somalia is in currently accusing the opponents of the TFG as anti-peace group. He however praised the role by the Somalis in UK calling them people who love peace and ready to spear head the anticipated change in Somalia.

Mr. Sharif accused his opponents with misinterpreting Islam and said that it was ok to associate and ask for help from the non-Muslims. “You all know that Somalis wherever they are love their religion and are strict to their culture as evident in these people who came to Britain long time ago but are still having their good culture. Therefore we cannot allow any one to tell Somalis that they aren’t Muslims, or kill them or take their wealth by force.” The president said.

The president told the attendants of the meeting that Premier Gordon Brown of Britain accepted to reopen the Somalia embassy in London and that made the attendants to applaud the president.

The president acknowledged that his government did very little in country due to the escalating war but emphasized that they build a defensive force and also a good foreign policy.

Finally the president asked the Somalis of UK to help their fellow Somalis who are suffering back at home, to educated the youth on what is happening in Somalia such that they aren’t mislead by the insurgent groups.

The officials from Alshabab side were headed by Sheikh Mukhtar Row who was the former spokes man of that group. They came from Kismayo town where they had discussion between the top Alshabab leadership and then passed Ceelasha Biyaha where the leader of Hizbul Islam is based.

Residents of  that area told Alshahid that the security was beefed up while the meeting was on and all vehicles were ordered not to leave or enter the area.

The outcome of the talks isn’t clear yet as neither of the groups didn’t talk to the media.
The disputes between the two rebel groups worsened recently when Hizbul Islam backed militia attacked Alshabab forces in several areas in Jubba regions.

Speaking during an interview on a local TV programme ‘Capital Talk’  on Thursday,Shikuku stated that when they wrote the country’s constitution at Lancaster, leaders found the issue of Kadhis courts non-contentious.

Put simply, he quoted the founding president Kenyatta as having said, “There is no harm in allowing people to say Allahu Akbar.”

The former fiery politician explained that following the agreement between the Sultan of Zanzibar and Kenya government over the Lamu Coastal strip, the recognition of Islam in Kenya was elevated.

The British as arbiters, not only stated that Kenya’s border is 200 Nautical Miles into the Indian Ocean, but also compensated the Sultan with thousands of Sterling Pounds.

“Since independence has the Kadhis court offended any non-Muslim?” Shikuku rhetorically asked.

The politician who has just come back from abroad where he was writing his memoirs; is instead asking the other religious groups to concentrate on fighting the abortion clause.
He also expressed opposition to a provision that seeks to increase the number of MPs in parliament.

Other religious organizations including the National Council Of Christians (NCCK) and the Evangelical Churches led by assistant housing minister and founder of Jesus is alive ministries Bishop Margret Wanjiru have vowed to reject the draft constitution come the referendum if the Kadhis courts are not expunged from the Draft.

A little over a year ago, I was elected president of a country that many consider the most dangerous in the world. Over the last 20 years, Somalia has been synonymous with war and displacement. Now terrorism and piracy have been added to this list – and they threaten death and destruction far beyond our borders.

Let me begin by emphasising that however bad the situation looks, Somalia is not the “failed” state of popular imagination. Somalis are resilient and committed to peace, and sickened by the nihilistic violence of the extremists who last month announced an alliance with al-Qaida to wreak havoc across east Africa.

There is nothing Somali about the violence afflicting our country. The extremists are waging war against our Somali flag, our Somali values and our religion. Witness their values: they blew up a graduation ceremony on 3 December last year, killing young Somali doctors, graduates and four government ministers. They are preventing the UN World Food Programme providing humanitarian assistance to thousands of Somalis in desperate need. It seems these extremists will stop at nothing.

They could be defeated relatively easily, however, if the international community were to adjust its thinking in two critical ways. First, it must abandon the defeatist notion that Somalia’s problems are insuperable, because this becomes a self-fulfilling expectation. Second, it must rid itself of the dangerous delusion that Somalia has no relevance to the rest of the world.

The African Union Mission in Somalia is under-resourced. With the exception of Uganda and Burundi, countries have promised troops but haven’t delivered. The Transitional Federal Government has trained several thousand soldiers, brave men and women ready to take on and expel al-Qaida from Somalia. The British government has done much to assist us, and we are grateful, but more support from other members of the international community is needed. If we could establish a larger, well-trained army, we could make a real difference in the fight against the extremists.

Piracy off the Somali coast is a major challenge. I am appalled that the British sailors Paul and Rachel Chandler are being held hostage. I would like to add my voice to those of the British Somali community and the elders in Somalia calling for the Chandlers’ freedom. Their captivity is un-Islamic and un-Somali. We have already trained 1500 men as part of a professional Somali coastguard, but we do not have the boats and other equipment to protect Somali waters.

The TFG is committed to work with the international community to combat terrorism and promote regional security. As a result of a desire for national reconciliation, we have created a functioning coalition government made up of yesterday’s enemies. We are committed to transparency, which is why we’ve hired PricewaterhouseCoopers to ensure the accountability of donor funds. The Central Bank of Somalia and Radio Mogadishu are now up and running. The constitution is under review. We have built bridges with our diaspora communities, foreign embassies are now operating in Mogadishu and Somalia has close to 30 diplomatic missions worldwide.

This progress is evidence that Somalia is not a “failed” state, and it is proof that something can be done. However, the extremists threaten to undo this progress, and pose danger not only to Somalia but the wider world. The international community has a duty to match the resolve of the Somali people with robust support: doing that now will be a great deal less expensive. Somalia has suffered this tragedy for decades. Let us prevent it from becoming a wider one.

Source: guardian.co.uk

This was in a Government circular dated last Friday and released on Monday; this was signed by the Head of Public Service, Mr Francis Muthaura and copied to Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka

However Pundits read the move as part of government’s policy to cut expenditure on government spending. Part of these measures includes the concluded change from Mercedes cars to Passat makes as a sign of prudent expenditure by the government.

Analysts, read usual coalition politics about who wields the ultimate authority and who is for the speedy realization of the Constitution; currently a popular political arsenal

The House is supposed to debate contents of the draft for 30 days thereafter it would be published and subjected to a national referendum.

Proceedings in parliament are often impeded by lack of quorum, prompting the Speaker on several occasions to urge ministers to be available in the House to answer questions concerning their dockets.

The absence in the House has always been explained by travels abroad.

The President’s directive hinges on the Government protocol that requires ministers to get clearance from the President before travelling abroad.

Dr Alfred Mutua; the government spokesman confirmed: “The President has said this will take effect immediately,”