Metro

Somaliland-born British long distance champion, Mo Farah, confesses he was illegally trafficked to the UK as a child

Published

2 years ago

July 12, 2022

British multiple long distance world champion, Mo Farah, has confessed that he is not what many people have come to believe he is as he was actually trafficked into the UK as a child and forced to work as a domestic servant.

Farah, who revealed his true identity in a documentary by the BBC which is to air on Wednesday, said his real name is Hussein Abdi Kahin and that he was born in Somaliland but was trafficked into the UK when his father was killed in 1991 during the civil war between Somali and the breakaway Somaliland when he was just four.

Somaliland had declared independence in 1991 when it broke away from war-torn Somalia but has never been recognized as a sovereign state, which led to a long drawn civil war between the two countries which led to the death of hundreds of thousands of people on both sides.

The four-time Olympic champion who was knighted by knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2017, disclosed he was brought into Britain illegally from Djibouti under the name of another child.

In the documentary titled ‘The Real Mo Farah”, the 39-year-old long distance legend who became the first British track and field athlete to win four Olympic gold medals, said his children motivated him to come out and be truthful about his past.

“The truth is I’m not who you think I am,” he said.

“The real story is I was born in Somaliland, north of Somalia, as Hussein Abdi Kahin. Despite what I’ve said in the past, my parents never lived in the U.K.

“When I was four, my dad was killed in the civil war, you know as a family we were torn apart. I was separated from my mother, and I was brought into the U.K. illegally under the name of another child called Mohamed Farah.”

Farah said he was either eight or nine years old when he was flown to the UK by a woman he’d never met before, and once he arrived the UK, he was forced to “do housework and childcare.”

Several years later, he was finally allowed to enroll in school, where he confided in a PE teacher about his situation. The teacher contacted social services and Farah moved in with a Somali foster family.

Related Topics:Featured Mo Farah Somalia Trafficking UK

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Metro

World Bank pledges $3b to support Zambia’s development goals

Published

9 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The World Bank Group has pledged to avail Zambia with approximately $3 billion to support the country’s development goals under the new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for 2025-2029, with nearly half of the funds already disbursed.

World Bank Country Manager, Achim Fock, who made this known at the CPF launch at the Mulungushi Conference Centre in Lusaka on Wednesday, outlined the global lender’s focus areas, which included enhancing jobs, human capital, and climate resilience.

Fock highlighted that $200 million had been approved to strengthen Zambia’s social protection programs, including the Refugee and Host Community Project.

He also expressed optimism for upcoming approvals, including the Climate and Economic Resilience Financing and the Zambia-Tanzania Interconnector.

Zambia’s Finance and National Planning Minister, Situmbeko Musokotwane, who also spoke at the event, noted that 2.3 million Zambian households have so far benefited from social protection interventions such as the Cash for Work Programme, emphasizing the government’s commitment to safeguarding lives amid crises like the recent drought.

Musokotwane further reiterated the government’s commitment to protecting lives during times of crises such as the recent drought.

“More than two thirds of the Zambian population was affected by the drought. It was the government’s view that the first priority was to save lives,” Musokotwane stated.

Metro

Chinese mining giant CNMC set for $1.6 billion investment in Zambia

Published

1 day ago

November 13, 2024

Isaac Dachen

A Chinese mining giant, China Nonferrous Metal Mining Company (CNMC), has announced the investment of over $1.6 billion in Zambia, following successful discussions with President Hakainde Hichilema at the State House on Tuesday.

CNMC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Wen Gang, who held the discussions with Hichilema along with the Chinese Ambassador to Zambia, Han Jing, confirmed the company’s commitment to furthering Zambia’s economic development.

“We are actively investing in critical sectors of Zambia’s economy,” Gang said after the meeting.

He noted that CNMC was currently pumping water from Shaft 28 at Luanshya Copper Mine, where 29.9 million cubic liters have been cleared as part of intensified dewatering efforts, adding that the company plans to inject an additional $200 million to develop a greenfield mine on the Copperbelt.

President Hichilema who welcomed CNMC’s commitment, highlighted the potential economic impact of the firm’s investment which will include job opportunities for Zambians.

“This $1.6billion investment, alongside advanced technology and expansion, will extend operations and create more jobs and opportunities for Zambians, especially in mining contracting and supply,” the President said.

He also expressed gratitude to Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Chinese government for their shared commitment to fostering growth and cooperation between the two countries.