SOMALI´S STATE DEFENCE MINISTER HOSPITALIZED AFTER DETENTION IN UGANDA
Kanini Evans Kariuki
October 12, 2009
THE news agencies reported that the state Minister, Sheikh Yusuf, was kidnapped, beaten up and later hospitalized at a Ugandan hospital where he is recuperating from injuries he sustained during his ordeal.
However, the chairman of the Somali Transitional Federal Parliament,Information, Culture , Public Awareness and Heritage,told Al-Jazeera's English channel that the minister was detained by Ugandan authorities,and this was confirmed by Somali´s Ambassador to Uganda whom the chairman contacted by telephone.
The State minister was admitted to hospital after the Ugandan Security forces pounced on him then assaulted him thereafter,the chairman charged.
The Ugandan security services claimed that the State minister had not notified the appropriate authorities in Uganda and Somalia of his presence and movements in Uganda, and when they(Ugandan forces) sought to question him on this, he allegedly fled, with the security personnel in hot pursuit.
They chased him,took hold of him,then carted him off to an unknown destination.
The next day he was set free and immediately hospitalized.
The injured minister was the head of defense of the Islamic Courts, and the warlord that controlled Lower Shabella, during which time he made several declarations in which he vowed that they would capture Addis Ababa within seven days.
Moreover, Sheikh Yusuf was fighting against the African Union (AU)forces before he joined the Transitional Federal Government ( TFG),which nominated him to his current portfolio
He is still in hospital,and Ugandan authorities regularly visit him there.
The sorting out of this diplomatic embarrassment and row between the two countries(Uganda and Somalia), may endanger the AU forces in the Horn of Africa nation which are presently embroiled in mistrust with the Transitional Federal Government, and considering that the European Union (EU) has already suspended the support of the peace-keeping AU forces in Somalia.
Meanwhile,leaders from Northern Kenya have warned the government of dire consequences over enlisting Kenyan youths to fight in Somalia.
The leaders alleged there was an ongoing secret recruitment of hundreds of youths to join the conflict in war-ravaged neighboring country.
They blamed government of ignoring their advice to remain neutral in the conflict, and alleged that the youths were being recruited to fight alongside the Somalia government that is under constant onslaught from Islamists.
Led by the Kenyan Energy assistant minister Mohamud Mohamed, they said the recruitment was likely to spark off revenge attacks from Somalia´s dreaded Islamists who have threatened to attack Kenya in the past.
Mr. Mohamed said more than 400 youth some as young as 15 years, who were recruited mainly from Elwak and Rhamu towns in Mandera Central District, had been ferried to Nairobi for military training.
"We are receiving numerous reliable reports that our youth are being duped into joining an illegal recruitment drive by people we suspect to be in the Coalition government of Kenya," the visibly exasperated assistant minister stressed.
However, the chairman of the Somali Transitional Federal Parliament,Information, Culture , Public Awareness and Heritage,told Al-Jazeera's English channel that the minister was detained by Ugandan authorities,and this was confirmed by Somali´s Ambassador to Uganda whom the chairman contacted by telephone.
The State minister was admitted to hospital after the Ugandan Security forces pounced on him then assaulted him thereafter,the chairman charged.
The Ugandan security services claimed that the State minister had not notified the appropriate authorities in Uganda and Somalia of his presence and movements in Uganda, and when they(Ugandan forces) sought to question him on this, he allegedly fled, with the security personnel in hot pursuit.
They chased him,took hold of him,then carted him off to an unknown destination.
The next day he was set free and immediately hospitalized.
The injured minister was the head of defense of the Islamic Courts, and the warlord that controlled Lower Shabella, during which time he made several declarations in which he vowed that they would capture Addis Ababa within seven days.
Moreover, Sheikh Yusuf was fighting against the African Union (AU)forces before he joined the Transitional Federal Government ( TFG),which nominated him to his current portfolio
He is still in hospital,and Ugandan authorities regularly visit him there.
The sorting out of this diplomatic embarrassment and row between the two countries(Uganda and Somalia), may endanger the AU forces in the Horn of Africa nation which are presently embroiled in mistrust with the Transitional Federal Government, and considering that the European Union (EU) has already suspended the support of the peace-keeping AU forces in Somalia.
Meanwhile,leaders from Northern Kenya have warned the government of dire consequences over enlisting Kenyan youths to fight in Somalia.
The leaders alleged there was an ongoing secret recruitment of hundreds of youths to join the conflict in war-ravaged neighboring country.
They blamed government of ignoring their advice to remain neutral in the conflict, and alleged that the youths were being recruited to fight alongside the Somalia government that is under constant onslaught from Islamists.
Led by the Kenyan Energy assistant minister Mohamud Mohamed, they said the recruitment was likely to spark off revenge attacks from Somalia´s dreaded Islamists who have threatened to attack Kenya in the past.
Mr. Mohamed said more than 400 youth some as young as 15 years, who were recruited mainly from Elwak and Rhamu towns in Mandera Central District, had been ferried to Nairobi for military training.
"We are receiving numerous reliable reports that our youth are being duped into joining an illegal recruitment drive by people we suspect to be in the Coalition government of Kenya," the visibly exasperated assistant minister stressed.
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