Deputy Police Commissioner, Christine Alalo, said Uganda security forces had a duty to help Somalia hold a successful electoral process that will culminate in the election of a new president on October 30, this year.
The Uganda Police contingent serving under AMISOM has been asked to help Somali security forces secure the forthcoming elections scheduled before year end.
Deputy Police Commissioner, Christine Alalo, said Uganda security forces had a duty to help Somalia hold a successful electoral process that will culminate in the election of a new president on October 30, this year.
Alalo made the remarks, Friday, at the closure of an induction course for more than 100 Formed Police Unit (FPU) officers, serving in the police component of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).
The contingent, the fifth from Uganda to serve on the Mission, arrived in Somalia early this month on a one-year tour of duty, to offer operational support to the Somali Police Force (SPF).
“These elections are not going to be like the one in your country where everyone votes. It is a different kind of election that will take place here but we are expected to ensure that it is done very well,†the AMISOM Deputy Police Commissioner said.
The training that focused on the AMISOM code of conduct, gender based violence, Somali people and their culture, stress management and election security, is aimed at educating the officers on the mandate of the Mission and prepare them for rigors of duty.
The function held in Mogadishu was attended by the AMISOM Police Chief of Staff, Rex Dundun; AMISOM Police Coordinator of Training, Francis Aryee; Acting AMISOM Police Operations Coordinator, Senior Superintendent of Police, Emmanuel Mukama and the AMISOM Police Gender Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Lydia Otu-Nyarko.
Reiterating the importance of team work, discipline and the need to respect the local culture and human rights, Alalo appealed to the Ugandan contingent to work closely with the Somali Police Force and police contingents from other countries to help stabilize the country.
Noting that one of the mandates of AMISOM is to build the capacity of the Somali Police Force, Alalo challenged the officers to ensure the objective is achieved.
“We are at a stage where we must ensure that we build the Somali Police Force to a level that it should be able to take over the internal security of the country,†she observed.
The FPU is tasked, among others, to carry out public order management, provide operational support to the Somali Police Force and offer protection to AMISOM, UN and African Union staff. As a result of AMISOM’s efforts, the Somali Police Force is one of the fastest reforming institutions the country.
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