140 UPF Officers deploy to Somalia under AU Peacekeeping Force
Up to 140 Uganda police officers will deploy to Somalia this week to serve with the African Union (AU) peacekeeping force there.
The police officers are part of the first Formed Police Unit (FPU) to go to Somalia. They will patrol the areas of Mogadisu recently liberated from Al-Shabaab by AU forces.
Their role will be to provide policing services in these areas, restore stability and protect UN agency personnel providing humanitarian relief. They will also assist with training and mentoring of new Somali police officers.
The officers will deploy for up to one year’s duration and were addressed on Monday last by the Uganda Police Director of Interpol, Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP) Hussein Asan Kasingye.
He urged his officers to avoid corruption and to respect the local Muslim culture.
Officers were specially selected for this mission and those who perform well can expect promotion on their return to Uganda, according to the leader of the FPU, Assistant Commissioner John Nuwagira.
