AU trains police for Somalia duty

The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has embarked on an induction course for 34 police officers who are expected to start training and mentoring members of the Somali Police Force.

Speaking at the weekend, Deputy Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission for Somalia, Mr Wafula Wamunyinyi expressed confidence that the officers will play a major role in improving law and order in the war-torn country.

“I have no doubts in my mind that the officers have the professional competence to deliver on our mandate in Somalia,” he said.

The course which has attracted police trainers from Ghana, Uganda, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, will be offered at the Kenya Wildlife Training Centre, Manyani.

The police trainers were selected last year following an AU/UN Selection team that travelled to the four countries to conduct an assessment of the officers. During this exercise, more than 600 candidates were selected and put on a database for deployment.

Mr Wamunyinyi said the induction course for the police trainers is part of the African Union’s responsibility to support the people of Somalia who for close to two decades have not seen any peace or development in their country.

He expressed appreciation to the Kenyan government for offering its Wildlife Training Centre to the African Union for use.

The new group of police officers is expected to arrive in Mogadishu, later this month. According to the AU Peace and Security Department, the number of police officers present in the Somali capital Mogadishu is expected to reach 270 in the next few days. This will enable the retraining courses meant for the Somali police officers to start.

The AU said last month that the arrival of the first police officers is expected to coincide with the increase in the number of African peace keeping soldiers from 5,268 to 6,118. Burundi and Uganda are the only African countries that sent troops to Somalia.