STORY: Securing Somalias electoral

process is top priority, say AU Special

Representative for Somalia
DURATION: 04:02
SOURCE: AMISOM PUBLIC INFORMATION
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LANGUAGE: ENGLISH NATURAL SOUND
DATELINE: 26/AUGUST/2016, MOGADISHU, SOMALIA

SHORT LIST
1. Wide shot, Ambassador Francisco Madeira, the Special
Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union
Commission (SRCC) for Somalia arriving at the meeting place
2. Med shot, Lt. Gen. Osman Noor Soubagleh, the AMISOM
Force Commander, Maj Gen Mohamedesha Zeyinu, Deputy
Force Commander Operations and Plans, Ambassador
Francisco Madeira, the Special Representative of the
Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for
Somalia and Maj Gen Nakibus Lakara, AMISOM Deputy Force
Commander (Support and Logistics) attending the meeting
3. Close up shot, Maj Gen Mohamedesha Zeyinu, Deputy
Force Commander Operations and Plans at the meeting
4. Med shot, Lt. Gen. Osman Noor Soubagleh, the AMISOM
Force Commander, Maj Gen Mohamedesha Zeyinu, Deputy
Force Commander Operations and Plan, Ambassador Francisco
Madeira, the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the
African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia at the meeting
5. Med shot, sector commanders attending the meeting
6. Med shot, SRCC speaking at the meeting
7. Close up shot, one of the sector commanders taking
notes
8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Ambassador Francisco
Madeira, The Special Representative of the

Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC)

for Somalia
Disrupting Al-Shabaab means going after them and not waiting for
them to come to us. You have seen in football, whoever adopts the
techniques and tactics of defence ends up with lapses. The tactic is
not just to defend. The correct tactic is both defence and attack. We
need to attack Al-Shabaab.
9. Close shot, Maj Gen Nakibus Lakara, AMISOM Deputy
Force Commander Support and Logistics
10.
Med shot, sector commanders taking notes at the
meeting
11.
SOUNDBITE: (English) Ambassador Francisco
Madeira, The Special Representative of the
Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC)
for Somalia
We need to go after Al-Shabaab and for that we need to prepare
ourselves. We have to keep these people busy so that they do not
have time to prepare themselves, now that we are going into
elections.
12.
Wide shot, the AMISOM Force Commander, Deputy
Force Commander Operations and Plans, SRCC Ambassador
Francisco Madeira and Deputy Force Commander Support and
Logistics attending the meeting
13.
Close up shot, Lieutenant General Osman Noor
Soubagleh, AMISOM Force Commander
14.
SOUNDBITE: (English) Ambassador Francisco
Madeira, The Special Representative of the
Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC)
for Somalia
Our main role is to ensure the security of these elections, that is,
security of the places where the elections will take place; security of
the actors; the people who are going to vote; the people who are
going to be voted for and the people who are going to administer
the processes. We need to secure the documents, the ballot papers
so that nobody tampers with them.
15.
Close up shot, a sector commander at the meeting
16.
Close up shot, a sector commander listening at
the meeting
17.
SOUNDBITE: (English) Ambassador Francisco
Madeira, The Special Representative of the
Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC)
for Somalia

There is no way the elections will be stopped because of the

attempt by Al-Shabaab to disrupt them. We are aware that this is
their main target between now and when the elections take place.
They will try as much as possible to frustrate our objective but we
are getting even better prepared to make sure that they do not
succeed. I appeal to the entire population and all the electors to go
to the polling stations and vote and make the elections a success
and not feel intimidated.

STORY
Securing Somalias electoral process is top priority for
AMISOM, says AU Special Representative for Somalia
Mogadishu, 26 August 2016 - The Somali National Army and the
African Union Mission In Somalia will halt any attempts by the
militant insurgent group Al Shabaab to disrupt the upcoming
electoral process, the African Union Special Representative for
Somalia, Francisco Madeira said Friday.

Ambassador Madeira told a meeting of top military commanders in

Mogadishu that together, the forces would go on the offensive
against Al Shabaab to deny them room to plan and execute their
heinous acts that have cost the lives of hundreds of civilians.
Disrupting Al - Shabaab means going after them and not waiting for
them to come to us. The correct tactic is both defence and attack.
We need to attack Al-Shabaab, Ambassador Madeira, said.
Securing the electoral process, ascertaining the physical strength of
the Somali National Army and an offensive operation against AlShabaab will be top priority in the coming months, Ambassador
Madeira said.
Ambassador Madeira said the Somali National Army (SNA), is
undertaking an assessment of its strength in the respective sectors,
an exercise which, would be completed before the end of the month.
AMISOM sector commanders and their SNA counterparts have been
meeting in Mogadishu to review joint operations ahead of the 2016
electoral process.

The AU Special Representative for Somalia assured the public of

their safety during the electoral process and urged them to
participate in the exercise.
There is no way the elections will be stopped because of the
attempt by the Al-Shabaab to disrupt them. We are aware that this
is their main aim. They will try as much as possible to frustrate our
objective, but we are getting even better prepared to make sure
that they do not succeed. I appeal to the entire population and all
the electors to go to the polling stations and vote and make the
elections a success and not feel intimidated, Ambassador Madeira
said.
He observed that the main role of AMISOM and SNA will be to secure
voting centres, important election materials and also provide
security for candidates, delegates and the general population.
Somalias electoral process scheduled to begin next month, has
received backing from Somalis at home and in the diaspora. The
electoral process will culminate in a presidential vote on 30 October.
END