Two Hundred Somali Police Recruits Complete AMISOM Training In Baidoa

Two hundred Somali Police recruits celebrated the completion of three months of training in Baidoa on Tuesday 17​November 2015,
making the first batch of trained police officers who will be posted in police stations in the Interim South West Administration. The passing out parade ceremony was presided by the President of the Interim South West Administration (ISWA), Shariff Hassan Sheikh Adan, and AMISOM Police Commissioner Anand Pillay.

“I congratulate you for successfully completing the training. Now you will have new responsibilities and you will be upholding the law of the land. You are conferred authority. I request the commanding officers to immediately deploy the officers and to fully equip them. You are the first batch of police officers for this administration,” said President Sheikh Adan.

The pass out was witnessed by government and regional administration officials among them the Federal Minister for Women and Human Rights, Zahra Samatar; AMISOM Chief of Staff, Ambassador Epiphanie Kabushemeye; AMISOM Deputy Police Commissioner, Christine Alalo; UNSOM Senior Police Advisor Hans Wanderstein and AMISOM Sector 3 Commander Gabre Mikael Yemane. Also present were officials from AMISOM, Somali military, and representatives from the United Nations and other international partners.

In her remarks, Ambassador Kabushemeye who was representing the Special Representative of the African Union Commission Chairperson (SRCC)for Somalia, commended the police officers for diligence during training.
“On behalf of SRCC, I take this opportunity to congratulate the Somali Police Force and AMISOM Police for the enormous efforts to reform the Somali Police and regional police by mentoring and training Somali sons and daughters to assume the responsibilities of providing security,” she said.

She added that AMISOM police will continue mentoring the recruits as they undertake their duties of maintaining law and order. Police Commissioner Pillay congratulated the new officers for their successful completion of the basic police training. He thanked them for their aptitude and resilience during the course.

The new police officers were awarded certificates for successfully completing training within the stipulated period. They will be posted in various police stations in the south west to keep law and order. They are the first group to be trained by the police for posting in the regions.

The ISWA President together with AMISOM Police Commissioner Pillay, also visited Baidoa Regional Police Station where they laid a foundation stone.