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Nairobi, January 16, 2010 – Former President Moi has
offered to help seek peace in the crisis-hit Somalia.
Speaking when he met a delegation led by former Somali Prime Minister
Ali Mohamed Ghedi Tuesday, Mr Moi said he would work on a system to help
the Horn of Africa nation return to stability.
“I am willing to facilitate peace in Somalia. It is a regional, unique
and very complex issue. I will do the best that I can to assist," said
Mr Moi said at his Kabarnet Gardens offices in Nairobi.
He said Somalia should not have had any problem as it is composed of one
ethnic group, practicing one religion.
“It should have instead focused on development,” Mr Moi said.
The former president could not, however, reveal how he intended to
intervene where many efforts have failed.
Somalia has never seen lasting peace since the overthrow of dictator
Siyad Barre in 1991 and the current Transitional Federal Government is
facing tough opposition from Al- Qaeda linked Al-Shabaab rebels.
Mr Ghedi, who was accompanied by five MPs, paid tribute to Mr Moi for
having started the Somalia peace process resulting to the formation of
the current federal government.
“That is why we found it worth to pay him a courtesy call. We request
him to use his wisdom to play a role in finding peace for Somalia. As
Somali government leaders we have a responsibility to knock any door to
seek support,” Mr Ghedi said.
The former PM described the situation in Somalia as worse and urged
leaders in the region to double their efforts to bring peace to the
country.
“Instability in Somalia will affect the whole of East Africa,” he said.
Mr Ghedi said his delegation was representing the federal government
added that Kenya has a big role to help Somali attain peace.
Majority of the Somali leaders reside outside the country as a result of
years of turmoil.
Some Somali government leaders have in the past also been accused of
benefiting from the mayhem.
The leadership has been accused of failing to set up institutions of
governance that could have seen the country return to its feet in
accordance with the Transitional Federal Charter.
Regional countries, the African Union and the United Nations have also
been accused of doing little to bring lasting peace to Somalia.
Only Uganda and Burundi have sent forces to Somalia but they only
control four percent of the country.
Fourteen previous attempts to bring peace to Somalia have failed.
Source: Daily Nation, Tuesday, January 12, 2010
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