Leaders of the official National Union of Somali journalists (NUSOJ) wish to make clear that the so-called name changes of NUSOJ announced in social media posts does not concern their union, which shall continue to remain to be identified by its official name – National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ).
This name change has been announced by a convicted imposter, Mohamed Ibrahim Moalimuu, and his associates, who for many years claimed that they were leaders of an organisation he claimed was NUSOJ. This fraudulent claim was debunked in a court of law which ruled that Moalimuu criminally and injuriously stole the identity of NUSOJ. On Friday, 28 June, Moalimuu finally abandoned his claim and changed the name of the organisation he untruthfully maintained he was leading.
The imposter’s announcement as a final abdication on his part of his fictitious claim that his organisation was NUSOJ is a major victory for our leaders and members who fought hard in protecting the name and identity of their union and relentlessly exposed, challenged and finally defeated the unscrupulous external backers who bankrolled this identity theft. They did so to cover up unjust human rights abuses against NUSOJ members that were condemned by UN human rights experts, the International Labour Organisation (ILO), as well as the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR) and the European Parliament.
On behalf of the Executive Committee and the members of NUSOJ, we express our profound and sincere gratitude to our sister journalists’ unions, national trade union federations, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the International Trade Unions Confederation (ITUC), the African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Unions Confederation (ITUC-Africa) and all the other non-governmental organisations that have provided political, legal and financial support in the struggle to protect free and independent trade unionism in the media industry of this country.
The ongoing or pending judicial proceedings against those external elements who supported the attempt to steal our union’s identity shall continue uninterrupted and we will continue to trust that the rule of law shall justly serve our cause.
NUSOJ, in line with its mandate, shall continue to defend the rights and interests of journalists in Somalia without fear or favour.
NUSOJ is our union, and will continue to be our spear and shield.
The struggle continues, victory is certain!
