Shabelle Media Network (Mogadishu)
Aweys Osman Yusuf
19 July 2007
Mogadishu — Ugandan troops from the African Union will remain in the Horn of African country, Somalia, for next six months after the decision to renew the mandate was made by the African block at their latest meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Wednesday.
Captain Paddy Ankunda, the AU army spokesman, in Mogadishu, the Somali capital, told Shabelle on Thursday that the Ugandan troops have been geared up to safeguard the venue of the reconciliation conference as soon the more other African troops arrive in Somalia.
"Since it is the recommitment from the African Union leaders, I hope they will bring troops from other countries as soon as possible so that we have the numbers required for us to participate in securing the national congress," he said.
He said Burundi had already prepared the number of peacekeepers it would send to Somalia, pointing out that it only faced some logistical problems.
"And indeed there is a commitment from some donor countries to facilitate them and we hope that by August they should be here," he said.
Burundian troops have been ready since May, but were waiting for logistical support which was to be provided by the AU.
In an interview with Burundi Réalités Agence Presse on May 23rd, Mr. Manirakiza Adolphe had stated that the only delay for the deployment was logistical support which was to be provided by the African Union. Many observers doubt whether the African Union has what it really takes to mobilize the troops needed for the mission, hence a probable UN takeover.
The AU has been struggling to mobilize 8,000 troops to help Somalia's weak government strength its Ethiopian backed flimsy grip.
Ankunda said the AMISOM troops in Mogadishu would make the efforts to keep the security of the Somalis living in the areas around their bases, reiterating that the deployment of more AU troops to Somalia would enable them to expand their peacekeeping mission.
The Ugandans have been treating the poor sick Somalis who could not afford the fee of privately owned hospitals.
Ankunda expressed that their helping mission would also continue despite the violence in the capital. "We are helping the Somali people whenever we have the capacity to do so, like yesterday we have treated over one hundred civilians and I think that is a good contribution," he said.
Meanwhile five young boys have been killed after insurgents fired mortars at the venue of the Somali reconciliation congress.
Abdiwahab Ogli, a resident in Shibis neighborhood, told Shabelle that five young boys were killed in the blast while they were playing football in the neighborhood.
"One mortar bomb hit our residence, killing five young boys, three brothers and their two friends. They were right outside their home when the bomb hit there. Now the family members and the neighbors were busy collecting the bodies of their loved ones," he said.
He also stated that number of other people has been wounded.
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