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The move seems aimed at placating the country’s largest ethnic minority who have been protesting their marginalization and exclusion from major political and economic decision-making for the last year. The country declared a state of emergency last month which locked down its traditional media and social media platforms.
Negeri, who once said that an "uninformed society is better than a misinformed one,” will now be the government spokesman as well as run Ethiopia’s state news outlet. "So many challenges have been raised by the public. There has to be a change,” Negeri told the AFP after his appointment.
The professor once called out Ethiopia’s state media for being "pretty paralyzed,” serving as a mouthpiece for the government. The Ethiopian government controls the only television channel in the country, as well as the majority of local radio stations and newspapers. Under the state of emergency, Ethiopians are banned from listening to foreign media like Voice of America or Germany’s public broadcaster Deutsche Welle.
The Oromo, as well as the country’s second largest ethnic group, the Amhara, are also protesting a government dominated by the Tigray minority group, who toppled an Amhara-dominated government in 1991 and installed a mostly Tigray government. Negeri and another Oromo minister, Workneh Gebeyehu are replacing Tigrayan ministers. Workneh, former director of the police, will be the foreign minister, marking the first time a non-Tigray has held the post since 1991.
Still, protesters were not impressed. Negeri and Workneh aren’t likely to push hard for change. Negeri is a member of the ruling coalition’s Oromo party, the OPDO, and remains loyal to the regime. Workneh, former director of the police, is seen as close to the Tigray establishment, according to the risk consultancy Maplecroft.
"Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn’s apparently sweeping reshuffle will have a limited impact,” said Emma Gordon, senior Africa analyst for Maplecroft. "The reshuffle is unlikely to be sufficient to appease the organizers of the protests.”
The Associated Somali Journalists (ASOJ) has expressed concern over what it describes as growing pressure, intimidation, and suppression targeting independent media and freedom of expression in Somalia. Full Article
Waagacusub.net - As the world moves into 2026, journalism stands at one of the most critical turning points in its modern history. The rapid rise of artificial intelligence, collapsing business models, political intimidation, and shifting audience expectations are reshaping the profession faster than many newsrooms can adapt. While technological advances promise new possibilities, they also expose deep vulnerabilities within global media systems. Full Article
Nairobi – A heartwarming development has captured national attention in Kenya after President William Ruto personally intervened to improve the living conditions of a young female police officer who had been residing in a makeshift iron-sheet shack. The officer was recently relocated to a modern, fully furnished apartment as part of the government's Affordable Housing project. The Affordable Housing initiative — one of the flagship social programs championed by President Ruto's administration — aims to uplift low-income families by providing access to dignified, safe and modern living spaces. The relocation of the police officer has become a powerful symbol of the government's commitment to prioritizing people living in hardship. Full Article
Waagacusub.net-Kenyan President William Samoei Ruto, accompanied by the Director-General of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NIS), Noordin Mohamed Yusuf Haji, officially inaugurated the Yusuf Hajji High School in Masalani, Ijara, in Garissa County, North Eastern Kenya. Full Article
Somalia is heading toward one of its most consequential political tests as the 2026 mandate cycle draws closer, with rising disputes over who has the constitutional authority to run elections — the Federal Government in Mogadishu or the Federal Member States (FMS). Hidden beneath technical legal debates are deep power struggles that may determine the future of Somalia's federal system. The decisions taken in the next months will shape not only how elections are run, but who controls political legitimacy and state power in the coming decade. Full Article
Mogadishu – Former Somali President and opposition leader Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has strongly condemned the arrest of Nabadoon Cabdirisaaq Nuur Xalane, who was detained today in the Somali capital after speaking out on land-grabs in Mogadishu. Full Article
A diplomatic rift has emerged between Kenya and Uganda — two key East African nations — following strong public remarks by Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni regarding maritime access and regional integration. Speaking at a public rally in late October, Museveni declared that "Uganda is going to enter the Indian Ocean via Kenya," a statement that raised alarms and triggered widespread debate over the implications for regional stability and sovereignty. Full Article
Breda, Netherlands / Wilmington, Delaware – November 2025 The Alasow Foundation, a global humanitarian organization, has been officially registered as a legal nonprofit entity in both the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the State of Delaware, United States of America. This dual registration marks a major milestone in the Foundation's mission to expand its international humanitarian and development programs — focusing on clean water wells, education, orphan care, medical assistance, and emergency relief across Somalia and the Horn of Africa. Full Article
After months of waiting, the long-anticipated wage proposal from Dutch media employers has finally arrived—and it has sparked widespread disappointment across the journalism sector. Full Article
Waagacusub Real Estate is proud to announce the development of new modern residential communities across Somalia's most beautiful coastal regions, including Jazeera Beach, Ceel Macaan, and Hobyo City. These vibrant new neighborhoods, collectively known as Waagacusub Village, are designed to redefine seaside living while promoting sustainable urban growth and investment opportunities in Somalia. Full Article
MOGADISHU — Concerns are growing among Somali intellectuals, civil society organizations, retired military officers, and democracy advocates that Somalia is entering a dangerous period of political instability marked by increasing militarization and shrinking space for democratic participation. The concerns come amid escalating confrontations in Mogadishu and reports of civilian casualties, displacement, and destruction resulting from recent clashes between government forces and opposition-aligned groups.
Prominent Somali investigative journalist and philanthropist Dahir Abdulle Alasow has been honored with the prestigious Humanitarian of the Year 2026 Award, recognizing his growing humanitarian impact through the international charity organization Alasow Foundation.
Somalia is facing a deepening humanitarian and political crisis following widespread forced evictions, deadly security operations, and escalating tensions between the federal government and opposition groups.
The Federal Republic of Somalia has issued a strong diplomatic condemnation following an unauthorized visit by Israel's Minister of Foreign Affairs to Hargeisa, declaring the move a grave violation of Somalia's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political unity.
Washington – U.S. President Donald Trump has announced the immediate cancellation of deportation protections for Somali nationals living in the state of Minnesota, sending shockwaves through one of the largest Somali diaspora communities in the world. In a strongly worded post shared online, President Trump stated: "Somali gangs are terrorizing the people of that great State, and BILLIONS of Dollars are missing. Send them back to where they came from. It's OVER!" The message has triggered widespread fear among Somali immigrants and families in Minnesota, many of whom have lived in the United States for decades and built stable communities.
MOGADISHU — Concerns are growing among Somali intellectuals, civil society organizations, retired military officers, and democracy advocates that Somalia is entering a dangerous period of political instability marked by increasing militarization and shrinking space for democratic participation. The concerns come amid escalating confrontations in Mogadishu and reports of civilian casualties, displacement, and destruction resulting from recent clashes between government forces and opposition-aligned groups. Full Article
MOGADISHU, Somalia – As Somalia approaches planned demonstrations on June 4, concerns continue to grow over the state of human rights, freedom of expression, and civic space in the country. Full Article
Prominent Somali investigative journalist and philanthropist Dahir Abdulle Alasow has been honored with the prestigious Humanitarian of the Year 2026 Award, recognizing his growing humanitarian impact through the international charity organization Alasow Foundation. Full Article
MOGADISHU, Somalia — Turkey's growing political, military, and economic influence in Somalia is increasingly drawing attention across the Horn of Africa and Red Sea region as geopolitical competition intensifies between regional and international powers. Full Article
Somalia is facing a deepening humanitarian and political crisis following widespread forced evictions, deadly security operations, and escalating tensions between the federal government and opposition groups. Full Article
Hormuud's Assault on African Peacekeepers Figure 14: African Peace Keepers Hormuud launched a scorching public campaign against the Kenyan military forces in AMISOM in late August 2019. Full Article
Former Intel official stripped from NISA membership Full Article
PM KHEYRE USELESS AND COSTY OVERSEAS TRIPS. Full Article
Abiy says 'New Year' will be celebrated in Eritrea, Ethiopian Airlines to resume flights Full Article
Massive rise in Islamist militant attacks in Africa Full Article
Ethiopia's state media will now be run by an Oromo journalism professor
Ethiopia's prime minister Hailemariam Desalegn has reshuffled his cabinet, appointing 21 new ministers including a new head of communications, Negeri Lencho, an Oromo professor at the Addis Ababa University college of humanities and journalism.