Heavy Rainfall continued to wreak havoc across the country leading to the suspension of relief food in some parts of the country as most roads in Turkana district have been rendered impassable following the heavy down pour. - “Due to dilapidated roads trucks carrying the relief food are unable to reach families in need of the supplies'' Mr Joseph Kanyiri, the Turkans south district commissioner told reporters in his office. ''The district disaster management group are on the ground to help avert the catastrophes'' the DC added. Relief agencies in Kakuma refugee camp confirmed that the heavy rains had displaced more than 20,000 refugees and destroyed …

The African Union Mission for Somalia (AMISOM) is planning to beef up its troops to the Horn of African with 3,000 more before December this year, a senior AU official told AfricaNews. The Deputy Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (DSCRCC) for Somalia Wafula Wamunyinyi said the additional soldiers will help implement the current roadmap that seeks to put the entire nation under effective control of the Transitional Federal Government. - 'The additional troops will come from other African nations including Sierra Leone and Djibouti in order to boost the capability of the 9,000 AMISOM troops currently present,' Wamunyinyi said He said Djibou…

An Islamist militia in Somalia have claimed they kidnapped two Kenyan soldiers near the country's shared border of Dobley. The al-Shabab militia posted a statement on their website saying they caught the two men on a surveillance mission near the Somali town of Dhobley. - There was no way to immediately verify the militants' claims since Kenyan officials remained tight lipped over the issue. A thin sliver of southern Somalia along the Kenyan border is held by a militia allied to the weak U.N.-backed government, which is fighting al-Shabab. Kenyan assistant Minister for defence Nkaissery said Evans Mutoro and senior sergeant Jonathan Kipksgei Kangogo in the company of sergeant…

At least 900 Somali soldiers have graduated in Ibanda south west Uganda after training in a comprehensive engagement of the European Union in Somalia and in the Horn of Africa to deal with the Somali crisis. The troops were trained in various disciplines like counter terrorism and urban warfare. - Roberto Ridolfi, the head of the European Union delegation said that the stability of Somalia is critical to the country and the entire East African region. Ridolfi said without peace and security, progress and sustainable development are not possible in Somalia and the entire African continent. "Peace and security in Africa matters to the EU as well as to Africans”, Ridolfi said. …

Somalia children are being recruited to fight on frontlines and killed in indiscriminate attacks and denied an education, Amnesty International has said in a report. Other abuses include being flogged and being forced to attend public stoning and amputations by Islamist groups, including al Qaeda-affiliated al-Shabab. - "As a child in Somalia, you risk death all the time: you can be killed, recruited and sent to the frontline, punished by al-Shabab because you are caught listening to music or 'wearing the wrong clothes', or denied access to adequate medical care," Michelle Kagari, Amnesty's deputy director for Africa, said in a statement. "This is a never-end…

Somalia government vehemently denied the allegations of the human rights watch report accusing the government's failure to protect its citizen basic security needs. The government spokesman Abdirahman Omar Osman [Eng Yarissow] termed the allegation as baseless saying his government is taking the responsibilities to protect its citizens. - 'They are out of touch to the real issue on the ground and more so they do not have offices in Somalia' Abdirahman said. The spokesman said all Transitional federal government forces [TFG] have good training and they fully comply with international humanitarian and human rights law. 'I am very proud of our forces work and the high …

The Somali government has created a special force to protect convoys delivering aid agencies to people affected by the prolonged drought and famine. Somalia PM Abdiweli Mohamed Ali said the trained force will comprise of 300 trained government forces with the support of African Union [AU] peace keepers who are currently providing security in Somalia. - He said the trained forces will secure and protect convoys carrying food aid and also fight banditry and looting of relief food. The Prime minister's sentiment comes after the UN's World food programme acknowledged for the first time that it has been investigating food theft in Somalia for the last two months. According to WFP …

- BY Hassan adan yarrow More six people in cluding a woman were admitted at Garissa General hospital after two grenades were hurled at a near by police station in Ifo camp near Dadaab refugee camp. The incident which happened at around 9pm also killed two civilians. "security has been tighted at all the three camps to a vert more attacks" said the north eastern police boss mr leo nyongesa. According resident who spoke to africannews in if said they were leaving out from the mosque when armed men attacked them fears gripped the resident as even went out from during the morning prayers which normally conducted at 5 am in the morning. But in a quick press confer…

- By Hassan adan yarrow Human Rights watch have once again acussed The Kenyan security forces of an alleged of crime against Somalis living in north-east Kenya, especially in refugees camps. The reports says that from November 2011and March 2012 Kenyan police regularly arrested and mistreated Somalis living in refugee camps. The 65 page report availed to africannews says that the worst cases of abuse were carried out by Kenyan police in the Dadaab refugee camp. The report details horrible accounts of refugees living in the largest refugee camp in the world. One account is of a woman who was beaten and raped by three policemen as ‘retaliatory raids’ after attacks by Al…

- By Hassan Adan Yarrow A group of Lawyers and Human Rights activist in Kenya have called the Government to clear the circumstances sarrounding the death of muslim activist Samir Khan and his fellow terror suspect Mohammed Kssim whereabout. A ccording to the police samir's badly body was discovered more than 200 kilometers away in the Tsavo National park two days after he was abducted by unknown people in mombasa. The visually impaired mohammed kassim's whereabout remain unknown and fears have been expressed that he might have also been killed. Police sources said that mr khan and mohammed kassim might have been killed by '' persons known to them'…

- BY HASSAN ADAN YARROW The united States of America has warned kenyan politicians a gainst the country on tribal lines. In an interview with africannews Usaid-Kenya programme officer Mark Meassick said grouping like Gema and Kamatusa should be shunned as they only whipped up ethnic hatred. '' These groups have no place in kenya and leaders must preach unity as no ammount of tribal rhetoric will endear any to kenyans''Mr Mark said. Mr Mark said that theYes youth can[ YYC] which was sponsored by the US Government is not an incitement against the state but away of giving the youth a bargaining power they deserve. He said sh 3.8 billion programme does…

- EAJA DEMANDS PROBE INTO THREATS AGAINST JOURNALISTS By hassan adan yarrow Eastern Africa Journalists Association (EAJA) have expressed alarm over increasing threats to Kenyan journalists and particularly those writing investigative stories and demanded immediate action against those issuing the threats. EAJA Secretary General Omar Faruk Osman said in a statement that the association viewed reported threats to the Kenyan three Standard Group journalists, David Onsarigo, Mohamed Ali and Robert Wanyonyi as “a serious affront to press freedom in Kenya,” “We demand conclusive investigations and appropriate action to stop the threats to journalists in the country t…

- By Hassan Adan Yarrow Asuspected armed somalia militia men kidnapped a 66-year-old wheelchair-bound Frenchwoman from her home near a luxury resort on the Kenyan coast and fled towards Somalia, The kidnapping, which happened just across an idyllic lagoon from the celebrity-packed resort island of Lamu, came less than a month after a British woman was abducted and her husband killed a few miles to the north. 'It is true that we are looking for an elderly woman from France who was abducted by gunmen last night from Manda bay,'Ernest Munyi, the head of police in kenyan coast province told africanews in a teleophone interview 'We have dispatched a chopper t…

- by hassan adan yarrow Eastern Africa Journalists Association (EAJA) has condemned the ongoing crackdown on journalists and the arrest on Thursday, of a journalist by Ethiopian authorities over alleged links with the Ginbot 7 Party, classified as a terrorist organization by the authorities. The Ethiopian government alleges that the journalist, Eskinder Nega, is part of an opposition group who were allegedly planning various terrorist attacks across the country. Ginbot 7 is based in the United States. Police said the suspects including five who will be charged with terrorism soon. Nega, an independent online journalist, was arrested along with four opposition party officials who have…

- By hassan adan yarrow The Somalia government has arrested foreign aid workers delivering aid to famine stricken people in Al shabaab controlled area in southern Somalia. Among those arrested included three turkish and their four bodyguards. the aid workers and thier guards were seized while passing through the checkpoint after returning from Al shabaab controlled refugee camp in Number 50 airport of Lower Shabelle region where they have conducted humanitarian aid related services. seven local based somali aid worker were also arrested by the government Before the arrest, one of Turkish aid officials spoke to hundreds of famine displaced people in Alla Yasir just ou…

- by hassan adan yarrow Oxfam officials in Mogadishu carried public information campaign advising residents on ways to reduce deadly disease as well as distributing 47 tonnes of vital water supply and hygiene materials. The latest development project from oxfam comes days after more than 15 people died of cholera disease in mogadishu town. Acording to officials who requested not to be named said that it was the oxfam's efforts to control the outbreak of the deadly disease cholera and reduce public health risks in highly-populated camps in war torn-somalia. The staffs also distributed oral dehydration salts and soaps, water tanks, and pipes to set up water points across th…

- by hassan adan yarrow Somalia leaders have called for more international military support to extend the fragile government’s control beyond the famine-struck capital, following the withdrawal of the Islamist rebels. The weak Western-backed transitional government controls only war-torn Mogadishu with the support of 9,000 African Union troops, but is unable to access surrounding famine-hit areas ruled by Al-Qaeda linked Shebab insurgents. “It is therefore critical that the international community reinforces our efforts to extend the zone of safety beyond Mogadishu and into these areas,” Abdiweli Mohamed Ali somalia prime minister said during a drought confere…

- by Hassan Adan Yarrow A TV journalist was shot dead in war-ravaged somalia capital mogadishu. Noramfaizul Mohd Nor, 41, a malaysian, was killed in Mogadishu as he accompanied the aid agency Putera 1Malaysia Club on a humanitarian mission, a cocording to a Malaysian national news agency Bernama’s website. Nor was shot as he was traveling in a car near a busy junction known as Kilometer Four and African Union troops were involved, a Somali official said. African Union officials were not immediately reachable for comment. The circumstances of the shooting were unclear. A car bomb was found at Kilometer Four on Saturday but defused before it could explode, a Mogadi…

- Women enterpreneurs in East african community[EAC] need to be assisted to understand international, regional treaties and legislations to enhance their a bility to identify and exploit bussiness opportunities. Opening a regional conference in socio-economic development and women in bussiness conference in Kigali, Rwanda, the President of Rwanda Paul Kagame said there is need for patner states to establish mechanisims that encourage women to areas of high growth potential such as finance, banking and mining. ' We need to implement and finance all the initiatives that create jobs for women in order to empower them to fight poverty and participate in the economic intergration of th…

- Kenya police defended A Minister and a nominated member of parliament over allegations linking them to terrorism. Kenya Police boss mr Mathew Iteere said the investigations had established that Tourism Minister Najib Balala and MP Amina Abdalla, were not sponsoring terrosim contrary to claims by the Unites Nations Somali monitoring group. ' Going by the information gathered by my officers, the police headquaters is satied that the two politicians made the said donations in the honest belief thay were assisting The Pumwani Riyadha mosque in furtherance of legitimate religious activities in the national Harambee culture' the police commisioner told reporters at his office.…

- Somalia prime minister visited the semi-autonomous of putland state for two day official visit in what the Government termed as a step forward to repair strained ties. A distinguished delegation including ministers and MPs led by Dr. Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, the prime minister of Somalia left for Garowe, the capital of Puntland semi-autonomous region to meet with the region leader Abdurrahman Sheikh Mohamoud Farole in an attempt to persuade him to come to Mogadishu and participate UN backed Somalia’s consultative meeting. The consultative meeting is aimed to end up country’s transition after more than seven years. Speaking to the reporters at Mogadishu’s Aden I…

- An international Non-Governmental organisation has urged African leaders to implement regional and national agreement on food security. World Vision spokesperson Njeri Kinyoho said the policies will help tackle food crisis in the horn of Africa. ' More attention needs to be paid to finding a long term solutions to perennial food shortages' she said in a statement. She said the AU and the international community should address the root cause of food insecurity that has plagued the horn of Africa for nearly three decades. She said the AU member states should increase their pledges to help seal the sh 120 billion gap to hit the 223 billion needed for Africa to tackle…

- The kenya Government has its first time recognised the transitional National council in libya since the six month of libya crisis. The Kenya acting foreign minister Prof George Saitoti issued a statement declaring that the Kenya Government will work with the new authorities in Tropli to restore peace to North african nation. Saitoti issued a statement comes amid after all officials of the libyan embassy in Nairobi switched reconginition to the transitional National council[ TNC] . 'Kenya is committed to peace and stability restoration in libya' the acting foreign minister said in a statement. On Sunday embassy officials lowed the Green flag of the colonel Gaddafi…

- By Hassan adan yarrow A workshop convened by the African Union Commission has urged a speedy deployment of troops in Somalia, to combat operations against Al-Shabab which is an al-Qaeda affiliated militant group that has recently pulled out of Mogadishu. The workshop at the AU’s Addis Ababa headquarters brought together both actual and potential Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), IGAD, the United Nations, the European Union and relevant bilateral partners, to look at the achievements of the Mission to date and the challenges ahead. According to AU statement at the workshop in addis Ababa have called for speedy deployment o…

- Somalia’s Prime Minister lamented that the fighting in Mogadishu and its surrounding regions will not stop until government forces defeat Al Shabaab terror group. Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed said that the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) forces will attack surrounding regions in central and southern Somalia to remove Al Shabaab fighters. “We will not stop fighting until we remove Al Shabaab from all of Somalia,” said Prime Minister Gas. He stated that TFG forces, backed by African Union peacekeepers (AMISOM), now control most of Mogadishu and will now move on to the “second phase.” He said: “The government wants to restore peace wi…

- A high profile security committe meeting was held in Mogadishu on Monday to the strenghten security progress in somalia since the withdrawal of the al-qaeda linked group al-shabaab. The Joint Security Committee in Mogadishu was attended by Prime Minister Abdiweli mohammed Gas, the UN Special Envoy to Somalia Amb. Augustine Mahiga and African Union’s deputy special representative to Somalia, Mr. Wafulu Wmanyinyi. Other participants included representatives from the Arab League, IGAD regional bloc, the European Union, and representatives from countries included, Norway, USA, UK, Germany, Denmark and Sweden. It was the 9th meeting of the Joint Security Committee, which was es…

- Mogadishu’s mayor confirmed that food aid being distributed to Somali famine victims has “not been looted,”. “No food aid is looted adding that the food aid is distributed by government forces to assist the famine victims,” Mogadishu’s mayor said. Mr Mohamed indicated that the Transtional federal Government is undertaking measures to improve security and living conditions in Mogadishu. noting that 9 police stations in Mogadishu are being renovated with UNDP assistance. Mr. Tarzan said that the local government is working hard to improve roads that have been “destroyed by Al Shabaab terrorists who dug up trenches in the middle of…

- Turkish Prime Minister jetted in Mogadishu airport on friday where he plans to visit relief camps and hospitals in Somalia. The prime minister for turkey Mr Tayyip erdogan was accompanied by his family and four cabinet ministers in his goverment. Mr Tayyip visit to Mogadishu is part of on-going efforts to raise attention on the continiuing suffering and tragedies unfolding in somalia, a vast region devastated by armed conflicts and displacement of civilians. Earlier this week Turkey held a summit of the Organisation of the islamic co-operation[OIC] which gave a chance to display islamic piety and its diplomatic muscle in africa, at atime others emergining powers are also scram…

- THE SOLDIER WHO KILLED EAST AFRICA'S MOST WANTED MAN IN SOMALIA IS IN HOSPITAL The commander of the Somali forces that killed al-Qaeda’s suspected leader in East Africa and one of the FBI’s most-wanted men said he was injured in a retaliatory attack. Fazul Abdullah Mohamed, suspected of being involved in 1998 attacks on U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, was shot and killed in June in Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital. Captain Hassan Mohamed Abukar, who was at the checkpoint where Fazul was killed, said he’s received death threats and was wounded in an attack by al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab fighters. Al-Shabaab has waged a four-year insurgency agai…

- The Kenya Agriculture research institute has called for policy interventions to improve food security in the country and expressed the need to take into account global enviromental change including climate change. The Research's director Mr Ephraim Mukisira said, they have developed tools to boost the productivity in kenyans farms as part of broad strategy to strengthen the agricultural sector to boost food security. He said agriculture being the kenya's primary economic sector and the engine for future growth, there need to invest in reseach and technology 'poor breeds and varieties used coupled with existing constraints including limited value and weak links i…

- HUMAN RIGHT WATCH, ACCUSE THE KENYA POLICE FOR GANG RAPE AND TORTURE Human right watch have acussed The Kenya Police of gang-rape and extorting money from the somali refugees entering kenya. The report dubbed 'you don't know who to blame, ' crimes in somalia' reports violation of human right abuse by the kenya police on the somali asylum seekers and refugees entering kenya . The reports gives an account of two women raped by the police near daadab refugee camp in Garissa. 'the matter was reported to the police but no action were againest the acussed police officers' the report added. The reports also says most refugees enter the country i…

- Motorists in Kenya have once again dig deep in to their pockets after the kenya regulatory commission[ERC] sky-rocketed fuel prices in the country. ERC director genral engineer Kaburu Mwirichia said the international prices have been unstable with both upwards and down wards swings. He said taking into account the cost of imported products and products refined locally, the prices of super petrol in Nairobi will increase by sh 1.28 per litre from 115.39 Mr Kaburu, howerver said Kerosine users will be affected. Last month the government raised Kerosine and super petrol pump prices by 45 percent per litre and 46 percent per litre respectively He said diesel which retailed at…