Kenya might be rethinking their ill-conceived strategy and willing to throw their puppets under the bus. http://www.somaliaonline.com/community/showthread.php/59709-Renounce-violence-and-we-ll-negotiate-Kenya-tells-Shabaab

The Zack;754541 wrote: They are right to support this! Way to go! looooooooool...and not too long ago, you were condemning for supporting Ethio. I guess some enemies are more than others.

Nairobi CBD losing Sh100m daily due to Al Shabaab threats By Felix Olick Nairobi city is losing close to Sh100 million daily due to threats of Al Shabaab, the Nairobi Central Business District Association (NCBDA) has said. A joint statement from NCBDA and security firm, SENACA warns that terrorism in Kenya is real and it is becoming a serious threat to businesses. The NCBDA chairman, Mr Timothy Muriuki said a survey carried out by the organisation indicated a sharp decline in business within the city. He said that activity has gone down in malls, bars and supermarkets due to what he termed as ‘uncalled for fear’. "Some malls that used to record close to 1,000 people especially in the evening are now facing tremendous challenges. At times now, they only have 30 people, half of whom are security officers," said Muriuki. Speaking at International Life House in Nairobi on Thursday, he warned that if the situation is not contained thousands of jobs could be lost. Muriuki challenged business owners to install modern surveillance systems. He said the association would not allow Nairobi, which is the economic hub in the region to operate like the lawless Mogadishu and watch as mega businesses collapse. "We are asking the police to concentrate in preventing proliferation of dangerous weapons through borders. However as citizens we must also be vigilant and weed out suspicious people in our midst," he said. SENACA Group Chief Executive Officer Terry Downes said that businesses in the city must take a leading role in containing the prevailing situation urging businesses to train their personnel on security management. Downess said a number of security personnel manning business premises in the city do not have a clue of what a bomb looks like. He said that that the business community should work in partnership with local security providers to ensure coordinated security within the entire CBD. http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/InsidePage.php?id=2000045693&cid=4&ttl=Nairobi%20CBD%20losing%20Sh100m%20daily%20due%20to%20Al%20Shabaab%20threats

“Mujaahidiinta ku sugan Kenya waxaan leeyahay bambooyinkan yar yar ee aad ku caraadineysaan cadawga iska dhaafa, ee u badala wax ka weyn oo ka nixiyo cadawga jug weyna gaar siiya Kenya,” ayuu yiri Abu Mansuur. “Ardaydi uu soo taba baray Saalax Cali Nabhan, iyo kuwi Sheekh Usama, waxaan leeyahay waxaa hada la joogaa dowrkiini ee ciyaara dowrkiina, Kenya waxaan leenahay ogaada waxaa idin gaari doono jab culus,” ayuu intaasi sii raaciyey Abu Mansuur

Abu Mansuur: “Mujaahidiinta waxaan leeyahay Kenya bambooyinka yar yar ka dhaafa ee halagu dhifto jug aad u culus” Sheekh Mukhtaar Roobow (Abu Mansuur) oo ka mid ah saraakiisha ugu sareyso Al Shabab ayaa ugu baaqay dagaalyahanada Shabab in ay Kenya ka jajoojiyaan bambooyinka ay ku tuurayaan, balse ay ugu badalaan jug weyn oo sida uu yiri xanuunjiso. Isaga oo ka hadlayey dibad bax weyn oo loogaga soo horjeeday ciidanka Kenya ee soo galay Soomaaliya oo maanta ka dhacay deegaanka Calamada, ayuu Abu Mansuur ugu baaqay dadka jihaad doonka ah ee ku nool geeska Africa in ay yimaadaan Soomaaliya isla markaana ay kala qeyb galaan dagaal jihaad ah oo uu sheegay in ay la galayaan Kenya. “Mujaahidiinta ku sugan Kenya waxaan leeyahay bambooyinkan yar yar ee aad ku caraadineysaan cadawga iska dhaafa, ee u badala wax ka weyn oo ka nixiyo cadawga jug weyna gaar siiya Kenya,” ayuu yiri Abu Mansuur. Dhanka kale waxa uu sheegay in Kenya ay la galayaan dagaal barakeysan, isaga oo ka codsaday dagaalyahano uu sheegay in ay kasoo jeedaan Kenya oo uu soo tababaray Salax Nabhan iyo Usama Bin Laden in hada lasoo gaaray doorkoodii oo ay shaqadooda qabsadaan sida uu hadalka u dhigay. “Ardaydi uu soo taba baray Saalax Cali Nabhan, iyo kuwi Sheekh Usama, waxaan leeyahay waxaa hada la joogaa dowrkiini ee ciyaara dowrkiina, Kenya waxaan leenahay ogaada waxaa idin gaari doono jab culus,” ayuu intaasi sii raaciyey Abu Mansuur. Dhanka kale Abu Mansuur ayaa sheegay in hadii Kenya ay waxyeelo u geysato Dekada Magaalada Kismaayo ay Al Shabab lacago u doonan doonaan bankiyada dalka Kenya. “Anaga Dekada Kismayo waxaa naga soo galo lacago, hadii Kenyaanka ay wax yeeleyso, ha ogaato Kenya in mujaahidiinta ay lacago kasoo raadsan doonaan Kenya iyaga oo furan doono bankiyada iyo meelaha uu dhaqaalaha kasoo galo,” ayuu yiri. Al Shabab ayaa maanta ka sameeyey deegaanada Calamada, Ceelasha Biyaha, Afgooye, Jowhar, Ceelbuur, Baladweyne iyo Marko iyo deegaano kale oo ay maamulaan banaabax ay kaga soo horjeedaan fara gelinta ciidamada Kenya ee soo galay gudaha Soomaaliya. Horseed Media

“We know that some Al Shaabab people have been staying here and it was a deliberate government decision to allow them to stay here, because we were engaged with them,” said Mr Onyonka. “You are aware of what is going on; this is like a big animal with a tail in Somalia. We are still fighting the tail while the head is resting here in Eastleigh,” said Mr Ojodeh. Mr Onyonka said the government would confiscate the property of the Al Shaabab members and cautioned against ethnic profiling or the harassment of innocent Kenyans

Mr Onyonka said the operation in Somalia is justified as it would also hopefully result in the elimination of the militant group of Islamist fundamentalists. “If you want to kill the snake and cut the tail it will still die, if you cut the tail it will still die…both ways you win,” he explained. He said the government would have to be careful not to harass Kenyans of Somali origin as it goes about its operations to weed out Al Shaabab in Kenya. Mr Onyonka said the government would confiscate the property of the Al Shaabab members and cautioned against ethnic profiling or the harassment of innocent Kenyans. Kenya has asked the president of the Transitional Federation of Government to clarify a statement this week that suggested the Kenyan military is not welcome in that country. http://www.nation.co.ke/News/Renounce+violence+and+we+will+negotiate++Kenya+tells+Shabaab/-/1056/1262828/-/item/1/-/bc5kkg/-/index.html

By JOHN NGIRACHU jngirachu@ke.nationmedia.com Posted Thursday, October 27 2011 at 17:59 The Kenyan Government is ready to negotiate with the Al Shaabab to halt the operation in Somalia on condition that the militia renounces violence. Foreign Affairs assistant minister Richard Onyonka said Thursday the Somalia militiant group currently under an onslaught by the army has frequently been in touch with the government. “The truth is the Al Shaabab is frequently and constantly in touch with the Kenyan government…If the Al Shaabab would like to discuss and engage with the Kenyan government, our channels are very open,” said Mr Onyonka. Speaking at a press conference at Parliament, Mr Onyonka said the Al Shaabab would first have to renounce violence as means to an end and anything they would want to do in Somalia. “If they don’t renounce violence, the Kenyan government shall not discuss anything with them,” he added, saying the negotiations would also have to be guided by the Djibouti Agreement of 2010 and the Kampala Accord. The Djibouti Agreement was signed between the Transitional Federal Government and the Alliance for the Liberation of Somalia in June 2008. The Kampala Agreement was reached in June and led to the formation of the current TFG headed by Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed. Mr Onyonka said the government would only discuss with the Al Shaabab if there would be guarantees from the group that there would be peace in Somalia, whose conflict has of late posed a threat to the Kenyan economy. He declined to confirm or deny reports by CNN that the Al Shaabab have approached the government for negotiations. Mr Onyonka said the government has also all along known of the presence in Kenya of members of the group linked to the Al Qaeda terror organisation. “We know that some Al Shaabab people have been staying here and it was a deliberate government decision to allow them to stay here, because we were engaged with them,” said Mr Onyonka. He said they had been allowed to stay on because they would not be visiting violence on Kenyans and were at the same time involved in discussions with the government. “The details are available (on) where they own their properties where their monies are…the Kenyan government knows. But even when that is an issue…the position the Kenyan government has had is that we should allow them to have room so we can negotiate with them,” he added. Last week, Internal Security minister Orwa Ojodeh said in Parliament the operation in Somalia would be followed by a swoop in city estates where the Al Shaabab cells and sympathisers are suspected to be. “You are aware of what is going on; this is like a big animal with a tail in Somalia. We are still fighting the tail while the head is resting here in Eastleigh,” said Mr Ojodeh.

MMA...That's significant jump. Have you left Kenya? Stoic....I was reading an article on one of the Kenyan papers that Ministerial budgets are being revised to pay for the war. Social services will be hit the most. Let's say they make it to Kismayo, what's their plan, just stay there and get bogged down like Tigrays? And also, Kenya hasn't addressed the post-election violence, is the war meant to mask the underlying ethnic problems?

I wonder how does Kenya's coming election figure into this war?

Is this guy even Muslim?

Yaala tartamoosaa?

It's very fair to say the TFG including all MPs are not accountable to the Somali people. Ghandi being accountable to the TFG hence makes no difference, Men that represent us must answer to someone, either to truly independent Somali Government or to the tol in which the tol has decide if their interests lie in united stable Somalia.

Abtagiis.....Nothing short of true reconcialation will cure our ills and to achieve that, I sincerely beleive we need accountability. It's matter who of should Somali leaders be accountable to and who our collective actions be accountable to? If Azania project, who should Ghandi be accountable to?

What was this guy's motivation one wonders?

those dirty street are empty...are the businesses open or they are in lock down?

looooooooooooooool

^It wouldn't make any difference not because Farmaajo was not good man or incapable, simply because the way the system is setup or the game is being played severely undermines the TGH legitimacy or any competent Somali leader. Wax farahayna kujira malaha.

Nothing remains constant and change is inevitable whether one accepts it or not and so far nothing in Somalia including your enclave have bore a fruit in the larger geopolitical context. As for AS, they have failed in that they have not learned from others before them and didn't put any effort in creating any institutions that would satisfy the hunger for peace and good governance in Somalia but in regards to current situation with Kenya, as in the case of Ethiopian invasion, I will take AS over any foriegn invaders in any given day.

looool...it only took a minute to go back to your old self.

You are trying too hard....loool

Somalia: Clarification Statement First of all, we need to underline the following: Kenya and Somalia have a long history of friendship and cooperation, and that continues today. Kenya has long been an active supporter of peace and stability in Somalia. The Transitional Federal Charter that created the TFG was agreed to in Kenya, and Kenya has long been a leading advocate of having the international community assist in the stabilization and rebuilding of our country. Secondly, we thank Kenyan government for its working together with Somali transitional federal government to stabilize Somalia and for training good number of Somali soldiers as well as hosting huge number of Somali refugees. In fact, the people of Somalia as well as many of friends in the region including Uganda, Burundi, Kenya, Ethiopia, etc. have suffered at the hands of Al-Shabaab from their violence. We all share the need to defeat and destroy Al-Shabaab. No one wants to see demise of Al-Shabaab more than the people of Somalia. We also share the attitude that Al-Shabaab constitutes a common enemy to both countries and in this regard, the sovereignty and the Territorial integrity of both Somalia and Kenya should be respected. Therefore, to evolve a common security strategy, we agreed with our brothers Kenyan government on the following: Cooperation in undertaking coordinated security and military operations spearheaded by TFG soldiers trained by Kenyan government. Cooperation and collaboration in sharing and exchange of information that is relevant to the fight against cross border crimes and operations. Somali Prime Minister is assigned to this issue and he is going to appoint a joint security committee led by the prime minister himself that will work with their Kenyan counterparts. We also need to clarify that as part of NSSP endorsed by the stakeholders the TFG will do the following: Liberating the whole country from the tyranny of al-Shabaab with the help of AMISOM, IGAD and friendly countries. Stabilizing all areas freed from Al-Shabaab. Establishing – in accordance with the Transitional Federal charter – local administrations in the liberated areas to avoid a vacuum. We call on the international community to redouble its efforts to help those most in need once these territories are freed from the tyranny of al Shabaab. Once again we welcome the support of the International Community in defeating Al-Shabaab and wish to emphasize the need to do this while respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Somalia. END Source: TFG

loool@Mintid....I think the realization that our problems need a common and unified solution and that we face common threat despite our political difference is good start. Soon, necessity will dedicate that Somalis work together.

For those saying Kenya is merely reacting to recent kidnappings. Kenyan Motives in Somalia Predate Recent Abductions By JEFFREY GETTLEMAN Published: October 26, 2011 NAIROBI, Kenya — The Kenyan government revealed on Wednesday that its extensive military foray into Somalia this month to battle Islamist militants was not simply a response to a wave of recent kidnappings, as previously claimed, but was actually planned far in advance, part of a covert strategy to penetrate Somalia and keep the violence in one of Africa’s most anarchic countries from spilling into one of Africa’s most stable. For several years, the American-backed Kenyan military has been secretly arming and training clan-based militias inside Somalia to safeguard Kenya’s borders and economic interests, especially a huge port to be built just 60 miles south of Somalia. But now many diplomats, analysts and Kenyans fear that the country, by essentially invading southern Somalia, has bitten off far more than it can chew, opening itself up to terrorist reprisals and impeding the stressed relief efforts to save hundreds of thousands of starving Somalis. Somalia has been a thorn in Kenya’s side ever since Kenya became independent in 1963. Somalia has become synonymous with famine, war and anarchy, while Kenya has become one of America’s closest African allies, a bastion of stability and a favorite of tourists worldwide. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/27/world/africa/kenya-planned-somalia-incursion-far-in-advance.html?_r=1&pagewanted=1&ref=world

Johnny...The TFG has been in existence in 2004 and in that long period has not managed to establish itself even with the help of foriegn forces including AMISOM. Theoretically, AMISOM's mandate is to help Somalia till such time that Somalia Government has the capacity to render its services and obligations towards its citizens without any hindrance. Even if I was to agree with you on AMISOM mandate, the question is has AMISOM's presence helped the Somalia in building capacity in terms of national security and to lesser extent social services? In the larger context, does the presence of the international community including our neighbors helped the TFG in meeting its obligations. What Somalia needs is not government in name or government whose existence is determined by the President, Prime-Minister and the Speaker and the presence of foriegn forces. What Somalia and Somalis need are institutions that deliver services,exert control, and protect the country's sovereignty. The international community and AMISOM have not helped Somalia or TFG in building capacity to the point that AMISOM becomes irrelevant. Take for example Somalia's security apparatus, Xiin posted an article about Pland's security services being send to Uganda for training. This is to enhance Pland's and by extension Somalia's ability to provide security for its people. Now if there was genuine effort to help Somalis in building institutional capacity, why would thousands of Somali recruits be send to foriegn lands? Couldn't they be trained in Somalia at fraction of the cost? Couldn't the rest of the money be used to equip them and pay their salaries. Does it make sense that hundreds of millions are spent on AMISOM while the Somali troops could barely feed themselves and resort to selling their weapons to the very people that they are suppose to be fighting? The scheme of sending thousands of Somali recruits to Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya and Jabouti is clear example, this is mashruuc for other stakeholders. None of this is being done to enable the TFG to achieve dominance or prove itself to be real government. The presence does not help the TFG. Resources that would have gone to the TFG are diverted to AMISOM and the TFG with its weak leaders and divisions is not in position to object to any decision made by third parties. If the idea is to defeat AS, in my estimation, this could only be done through two ways, one is to have capable and unified Somali force that could stand up to it. This of course requires political will and willingness to compromise and win over other Somali stakeholders including the Ethiopian backed Ahlu Sunnah, Pland and even the secessionist. I see no Somali leaders that is both willing and able to unite different factions for common cause. The other option and more realistic one is to coopt all or elements of AS into the TFG. The success in Xamar and mishandling of the famine have created splits in AS and some could have been persuaded to abandon the cause. The invasion and I hope you would stop calling it incursion gave new lease of life for AS. It is counterproductive and couldn't come at worst time for TFG and our people as we are suffering severe famine and TFG was beginning to look abit competent. This invasion undermines the TFG and exposes lack of political will. Abtagiis...You talk about Somalis as if you are removed from them. They are just like you who made chooses to deliberately support a group at the expense of our national interest. Admittedly, this includes me as well.