Somalia: President Hassan Sheikh signs several Bills into law

MOGADISHU, Somalia - President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has signed eight Bills into law following approval by the bicameral legislature as he directs his attention to streamlining security and citizen protection in the Horn of Africa nation which has been struggling with instability for the last three decades.

Among the Bills signed into law include the Anti-Terrorism Act, the Somali Immigration and Citizenship Agency Establishment Law, the Immigration Law, the Public Data Protection Act, the Law on the Management of Underground Resources, the Investment and Investor Protection Law, the Law on Identification and Public Registration, and the Somali Fisheries Development and Management Law.

Hassan Sheikh lauded speakers of the Lower House and Upper House for fast-tracking the legislation which he termed as "important" for the development of Somalia. According to him, the laws will be critical in anchoring the proper foundation of government and subsequent implementation of projects.

Of great importance is the national anti-terrorism law which will give authorities a legal framework for combating and eliminating violent extremist groups. However, human rights groups have criticized the legislation claiming that it could give room for the extrajudicial killing of innocent civilians.

Somalia is currently fighting Al-Shabaab militants and there is concern that security forces might misuse the law to punish innocent civilians. The Somali National Army with the help of US Africa Command, the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS] and local militia have managed to liberate several strategic towns from the group.

The Al-Shabaab extortionists have been waging retaliatory attacks in some parts of the country but the government says over 600 of them have been killed in the last six months with the second phase of operations scheduled for Ramadan. The militants are said to be collecting at least $120 million annually forcing the government to establish mechanisms for blocking sources of revenue.

United States Army and the ATMIS team have been critical in flushing out the militants from their hideouts but the exercise could take more months. In fact, some countries have started offering training to the Somali National Army as well, in a strategy geared towards strengthening the federal army.

Recently, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud signed into law the National Identification Bill which will see all Somalis get Identification cards for the first time in thirty years. President Hassan Sheikh said he is committed to putting up structures which would assist the country to make progress on matters of development.

GAROWE ONLINE