160 officers of the Uganda Police are set to be sent to Somalia in December this year as part of the peacekeeping force under African Mission for Somalia -AMISOM.
The team is part of the Formed Police Unit (FPU) who, today, completed a 6 months intensive Pre-deployment training course in Peacekeeping Operations under AMISOM.
According to Uganda Police, the Officers set for the mission were assessed this week by a team of five Formed Police Assessment officers Led by ASP Figalo Maxime from AMISOM Headquarters. This was during the training exercise at Kigo, near the capital Kampala.
“In Somalia, the officers will provide Public Order management, Protection of African Union personnel and facilities.” Uganda Police posted on Twitter.
The Government of Uganda deployed the first FPU in Somalia under AMISOM in July 2012 after the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) had deployed there earlier on in 2007. The UPDF contingent was the first to set foot into Somalia and the largest with 6,223 troops.
The units have rotated on annual basis and the deployment of this unit will make the tenth rotation of Uganda FPU in Somalia under AU.
Uganda is among several Troop Contributing Countries (TTC) in Somalia alongside Nigeria, Kenya, Burundi, Seirra Leonne, Ethiopia and Djibouti.
While they are there, Police undertake certain specific duties such as general policing, VIP escort and protection services, training and assisting the Somali Police Force in public order management, regular patrols at checkpoints, conducting joint patrols with their Somali counterparts and securing key government installations and high-level events.
