Araweelo News Network
Mogadishu(ANN)- Six Kenyan Individual Police Officers (IPOs) recently deployed to serve in Somalia under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), have completed an intensive seven-day induction course, aimed at orienting them with the functions of the Mission.
The IPOs will train and mentor Somali police officers on security matters at federal and regional levels.
“Induction training gives us the opportunity to furnish our new arrivals with vital information that is mission specific that will help them not only to settle as quickly as possible into the mission, but also to prepare them to adequately and appropriately tackle their assignments and tasks,” ACP Francis Aryee, the Acting AMISOM Police Commissioner said.
The new Kenyan police contingent replaced another group that recently returned home after completing a year’s tour of duty in Somalia.
“Since the Kenyans who left have left them with big shoes to fill, we need to make sure that these officers are integrated, because we are trying to get them acclimatized to situations in Somalia,” Albert Akpoilih, AMISOM Police Head of Induction stated.
“Even though they have got their skills from back home, it is a duty for us to retool them to what goes on in the mission area vis- a-vis the Somali culture,” Akpoilih explained.
The new officers will boost the numbers of Individual Police Officers from other countries, who are currently engaged in providing security for the ongoing electoral process.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Janet Shako, who is one of the inductees, thanked the Kenyan government for selecting them for the critical assignment. She reassured AMISOM that the team of the Kenyan Police contingent’s commitment to the Mission’s mandate.
“They took us through the Somali culture, what is expected of us in the mission area, they took us through stress management as it is not easy to be away from home. They also took us through report writing and all other things which are expected of us from the mission area,” ASP Shako said.
Acting AMISOM Police Chief of Staff Hondo J. Chacha attended the closing ceremony of the induction course.
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