Somalia Shattered By deadliest Terrorist Attack

Somalia, one the most unstable countries in the world, is mourning the death of at least 300 people, after a truck bombing in the capital, Mogadishu on Saturday.

Below are nine things to know about the terrorist attack that hit the Horn of Africa nation.

Sources; The Guardian,  Azvision.az, Military.com, new24,  Newsweek,  Business Insider,

               Daily Sabah, Associated Press

Worst ever attack

Saturday’s bomb is so far the single deadliest terrorist attack in Somalia’s history. It killed at least 300 civilians, leaving hundreds of other critically injured.

Protector turned attacker

One of the attackers, who drove the truck that set off the main blast served in the country’s military before leaving in 2010 to join the Al-Shabab militant group.

Revenge mission

The former soldier may have been on a revenge mission, after a US-led military operation in Bariire, his home town in August, 2017.

The operation led to the deaths of several civilians, including children.

Missed target

Intelligence reports said the attackers had targeted a busy airport in the capital, which hosts international organizations, including the United Nations and African Union peace-keeping contingents.

The attackers however, detonated the bombs on a busy road after security guards stopped them at a check-point before they could enter the compound.

Turkey intervenes

Turkey is leading the efforts to assist Somalia following the devastating attack. On Sunday, a day after the attack, Ahmet Demircan, Turkey’s Health Minister flew into the country to oversee the efforts.

Turkish military planes evacuated the critically injured to Ankara for further treatment. 

Eiffel Tower shows solidarity

Eiffel Tower, the iconic building in the French capital, Paris has led several leading cities in the world in showing solidarity with Somalia.

On Monday night, it turned off its lights to pay tribute to the victims. Toronto, a leading city in Canada was also lit in the colors of the Somali flag.

President leads the way

President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed led top government officials in donating blood to the victims.

Source of explosives

It is suspected that the military-grade explosives used in the attack were stolen from the African Mission in Somali (Amisom)-led peace-keeping mission in the country.

Gruesome scenes

According to hospital reports, at least 130 bodies were burnt beyond recognition.

Some hospital staff also said they saw ‘unspeakable horrors’ and the smell of blood was strong inside the hospitals.

Kenya’s Political Cross-roads

Kenya heads into a historic presidential re-run, at the back of a cloud of uncertainty that has gripped the nation since the Supreme Court nullified Presidential Uhuru Kenyatta’s re-election.

There are doubts if Raila Odinga reverse his decision to opt out of the 26^th October re-run, while has Kenyatta added to the tensions with pronouncements targeted at his rival and the international community.

“I want to tell the international community that there is no problem in Kenya. The only problem we have is one man called Raila Odinga (NASA leader),” Daily Nation quoted Kenyatta on his campaign trail in Nyeri County.

Kenyatta’s words only fuel an already charged political environment, pitting his supporters and those behind Odinga.

The two leaders hold the power to cool down the temperatures through acts of statesmanship that Kenya desperately needs now.

Their die-hard lieutenants continue to let loose tongue all over the country while police officers have met demonstrations by opposition with brutal force, leading to dozens of deaths and destruction of property.

Brutality by security forces has so far claimed at least 33 lives since Supreme Court annulled Kenyatta’s re-election in August, according to a joint report by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.

Intolerance from the government and the opposition supporters is fever-high and threatens to plunge Kenya into a bloodbath like it happened 2007-08.

The 37-page report titled, Kill those Criminals: Security Forces’ Violations in Kenya’s August 2017 Elections, has placed the country’s security forces at the center of human rights violations in the opposition strongholds.

While the government’s security forces clobber the opposition supporters, Odinga has sought attention from the international community, in a move that indicts Kenyatta’s leadership call.

The lack of political magnanimity by Kenya’s leading political chiefs has fast spread across the nation, and calls for secession are getting louder.

Seeds of discord amongst the opposition supporters are growing fast and the feeling of disenfranchisement is getting stronger.

One part of the country feels included in the government while another feels left out, the demonstrations and ethnic bile pouring out on social media say it all.

Kenya is in a precarious political situation and any wrong move could sent our country to the dogs.

Jubilee’s use of majority numbers in both houses to pass laws that have been vehemently opposed by the National Super Alliance (NASA) has worsened an already fragile environment.

At the heart of Odinga’s threat to opt out of the re-run is the refusal by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) top officials to quit office despite the integrity questions hanging over their heads.

Jubilee’s open support for Ezra Chiloba, the commission’s Chief Executive officer has further led to scrutiny on the independence of the electoral body.

Kenya’s stability rests on statesmanship from Kenyatta and Odinga, tolerance amongst all citizens despite the fierce political differences, goodwill from the beleaguered IEBC commissioners led by Chiloba and restraint from the security forces as they quell the NASA-led demonstrations.

The days ahead represent a stern test for Kenya. The nation may come out more united than ever or bleeding, depending on the political directions from Kenyatta and Odinga.

Sierra Leone Devastated

Sierra Leone is one of the world’s poorest countries. It is facing a humanitarian crisis following a devastating landslide on August 14 that killed hundreds of people and displaced thousands in the capital, Freetown. 

This is the second tragedy to hit the country in under three years following the Ebola outbreak that broke in 2014, killing at least 3,955 citizens.

Below are things to know about the crisis-hit country;

Sources; Al Jazeera, UNICEF Canada, Agence France-Presse, Deutsche Welle, PUNCH, Al Jazeera, QUARTZ Africa, gofundme,  BBC,  National Post

Massive Mudslide

On the night of August 14, a hillside collapsed in the mountainous town of Regent on the outskirts of the capital, killing at least 500 people, and leaving about 3,000 others homeless.

Three-day torrential rains caused the landslide in the hilly region.

Children hit hard

At least 200 children perished in the disaster. Hundreds of others are yet to be accounted for by the authorities. 

Deadliest in Africa

The mudslide is one of the deadliest disasters to hit the continent in the past two decades.

In November 2001, deadly floods hit Algeria and El Nino that ravaged Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda and Somalia between October 1997 and January 1998.

The Algeria tragedy killed at least 700 people while El Nino led to about 6,000 deaths.

Superstitious tales

Residents gave superstitious tales on what caused the tragedy. Some said people in the city killed a sacred snake in the hills and that the mudslide was a punishment from the snake’s mother.

Others said residents ate a whale beached in Freetown and that the landslide was a punishment from Mother Nature. 

Massive Displacement

At least 20,000 are currently displaced from their homes following the landslide.

Mallence Bart-Williams

Williams, a Sierra Leone-German writer and film maker, started on online funding campaign dubbed, ‘Freetown Emergency Food Relief’ to raise money for emergency relief in the devastated West African nation.

The campaign targets to raise at least 50,000 Euros.

Past Devastation

The ongoing humanitarian crisis came two years after the Ebola ravaged the country alongside neighboring Liberia and Guinea, since December 2014.

It killed close to 4,000 people before World Health Organization (WHO) announced that the country had beaten off the epidemic in 2015.

Nightmare for mortuaries

Bodies of victims are decomposing in mortuaries as they remain unidentified by the next of kin.  Authorities have buried hundreds of others in mass graves.

Some bodies were decapitated, missing heads, legs and hands.  

Gory scenes

Decomposing bodies appeared in drainage systems while some were washed up on the ocean shores.

Authorities advised locals and tourists against swimming in the Freetown’s waters after at least 60 bodies washed up on the beaches.

Rescue workers and volunteers dug with their bare hands through the debris In search of bodies. 

Professional Negligence

Joseph Rahall, a leading environmentalist said poor construction patterns and deforestation were major factors in the disaster.

Rahall, director of Green Scenery decried the lack of action by the ministries of Agriculture and Lands, which led to citizens to build homes in disaster-prone areas and massive deforestation in search of charcoal and firewood. 

Impoverished nation

Sierra Leone is one of the poorest countries in the world. 

Nearly 60 percent of the population lives below the poverty line.

Low literacy levels

The literacy level among the country’s adults is a paltry 42 percent. This falls considerably low compared to the global rate of more than 80 percent.

Age-old traditions are rife

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is accepted by about 88 percent of the population.

This is the practice of removing a woman’s genitalia for both religious and cultural practices.

President Kenyatta and IEBC’s Big Test

President Uhuru Kenyatta is facing arguably his toughest political battle against the opposition chief, Raila Odinga as Kenya prepares for the general election on August 8.

The Gambia and so many countries across the continent have seen their leaders refuse to concede defeat in the past. The global eye and ear is on Kenya to see if it will be a free credible and fair poll, and if the incumbent will concede defeat in the event he loses.

Africa’s biggest threat to democracy is the reluctance and blatant refusal by its tin-pot dictators, authoritarian rulers and self-made demi-gods to concede defeat even when defeats are crystal clear.

Most recently, it happened in The Gambia after Yahya Jammeh lost to Emmanuel Barrow in December last year and also in 2011, when Laurent Gbagbo lost to Alassane Ouattara. 

In both, the international community pushed them to leave office, albeit reluctantly. Besides, the two nations nearly slid into civil war because of the power tensions.

 

Kenya, one of Africa’s model democracies tasted fire in 2007-2008 when the defunct Electoral Board of Kenya (ECK) admitted a lack of a clear winner, leading to the worst ethnic-grounded violence in the East African nation, where at least 1000 people died while millions were displaced.

The other malaise threatening credible and fair polls on the continent are the openly partisan and pro-government election commissions that have ruined public trust and given opposition leaders valid grounds to always contest election results.

 

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) faced with several credibility fights has failed to convince Kenyans of their neutrality, not only ahead of the coming poll.

It happened too before the 2013 election. 

Kenya heads to the poll set for August 8, in the wake of chilling allegations by NASA, which implicated the security forces as part of an evil axis by the ruling JUBILEE coalition to rig the election.

The government and IEBC miserably failed in efforts to counter the claims.

The disappearance and subsequent murder of the commission’s ICT manager on Monday, Chris Msando did not make matters any better, adding to more speculation even as investigations get underway.

It is a delicate balance by IEBC to give Kenyans a free, fair and credible and for the incumbent Kenyatta to concede defeat in the likelihood of a Raila win.

Sadly, the government’s importation of imposingly intimidating military equipment to deal with violence after the big day, further adds to the cynical environment surrounding one of Kenya’s most decisive poll!

Controversy and acrimony surrounded IEBC’s decision to award the printing of presidential ballot papers to the Dubai-based Al-Ghurair firm.

It took a Court of Appeal intervention to overturn an earlier ruling by the High Court that had issued blocking orders on the process, which presented a logistical nightmare.

Peaceful nations are not the product of parading intimidating military equipment ready to silence any protests that as it is the norm, characterize the bungled presidential polls across Africa. They are products of free, fair and credible polls.

The government’s goofs and indecisive steps by the IEBC gave the opposition a valid ground to allege all attempts to rig the election. 

Kenya heads to the decisive poll in an environment filled with uncertainty. It is the worst way to approach a presidential election that normally elicits intense and passionate emotions amongst Kenyans, drawn along political and tribal lines.

Kenyatta and IEBC must steer Kenya the right direction. If the nation is thrown to the dogs, history will never forgive them just like most African leaders.

He has the golden chance to stand up and be counted if he loses. In the event of a re-election in a free and fair poll, then Raila Odinga and the opposition must lead the way and concede defeat.

IEBC has the noble chance to finally prove that the nation can enjoy the results of a free, fair and credible poll where every vote counts and that dead Kenyans do not resurrect on the big day to cast their vote!

Some of these precious chances, just like a bull elephant, come once!

Will Harambee Stars finally deliver……?

Harambee Stars start their journey to end a 13-year absence from African Nations Cup (Afcon) with an away match against Sierra Leone on Saturday, hoping to banish past painful memories of disastrous campaigns. 

The group also includes continental powerhouse Black Stars of Ghana and Walia Antelopes of Ethiopia.

It is a tough battle to top the group and guarantee our slot in the 2019 Afcon in Cameroon. 

Failure to finish top leaves us with the ‘easier’ task of finishing as one of the three best runners-up from the 12 groups. Either way, it is an uphill task!

Victor Mugubi, fresh from a successful maiden season with English giants Tottenham Hotspurs, leads Stanley Okumbi’s charges.

Kenya is playing catch-up to The Cranes of Uganda in the regional battle for supremacy, further increasing the pressure of East Africa’s former giants to grace Africa’s ultimate football bonanza since the last outing in Tunisia in 2004. 

While Stars have failed in their last seven attempts to qualify for Afcon, The Cranes ended their 38-year absence when they played at the 2017 edition held in Gabon.  

In the road to Russia 2018, Uganda currently trails group E leaders, Egypt by two points. It fancies its chances of making history by becoming the first East African nation to play at the World Cup.

Kenya lost out in the preliminaries last year, making France 1998 the only time we came close to qualification, before Nigeria’s Super Eagles edged us.

The road to Cameroon 2019 has heavy stakes for Kenya, once the region’s conquerors in the beautiful game. 

It marks the start of a journey, rich in imagination of playing at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. It is also a chance for Kenya to join Africa’s big boys and probably rekindle the good old days in 1980s and 1990s when Harambee Stars were a continental force. 

Uganda has since taken over the mantle. 

This will be the first full campaign for Stars under the new Nick Mwendwa-led Football Kenya Federation. 

The new office promised to lead the country to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The test starts on Saturday!

Failure to be part of the Africa’s top 16 nations in Cameroon 2019 will only leave Kenya once again dreaming to be part of the continent’s best five countries to Qatar in 2022!

A win tomorrow will get Kenya off to a perfect start on the road to Cameroon. 

Defeat will however, re-ignite the old fear known to every Kenyan football lover; Harambee Stars always fall short when it matters most!