Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.
The two-day 15th extraordinary session of African Heads of States and Governments ended in the Ugandan capital last Sunday evening after member state vowed to make a joint effort in crushing terrorism and getting rid of the terrorists out of the continent.
It was not immediately clear whether the summit had endorsed the recommendations by the Council of Ministers, which had recommended that the mandate of AU, Amisom in Somalia be changed from that of peacekeepers, to that of peace reinforcement force.
Earlier the Council of Ministers, consisting of minister for Foreign Affairs from the 49 member countries who have been meeting from July 18 had agreed in principles that the role and mandate of the Amisom peacekeepers be changed to that of peace reinforcement force. This will enable the AU mission troops to engage the Al-Shabaab militias in possible exchange of fire.
Currently, the Amisom mission is mainly peacekeeping. The troops are strictly confined to the role of guarding the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, presidential palace, the airport and seaport.
The change in mandate was one of the principal agenda items discussed and agreed on at a closed door meeting in Kampala on July 22. The Council meeting was held ahead of the summit, and their recommendations were supposed to be submitted to the heads of states and governments meeting on July 25.
After the expected approval by the summit, the issue should by now said to be awaiting to be discussed by the AU Security Council and the Un Security Council before an enforcement force can be put together.
But in separate rejoinder talks in separate interviews with newsmen, several Ministers had expressed skepticism about the proposed reinforcement force.
These were Minister from South Africa, Kenya and Uganda who acknowledged having participated in discussing the issue of the change of mandate for enforcing peace troops, and by Saturday, the issue which was supposed to be conclusively upheld by the summit was still hanging on the balance. The Au summit is known for more often not in the habit of not approving certain recommendations by Council of its Ministers.
Malawian President Bingu Wa Mutharika ,the current AU chairman did not mince his words. He unreservedly condemned the recent terrorist attack on the innocent civilian in Kampala in the strongest terms.
“Violence against civilians does not advanced humanity but only serve to disrupt progress, “he lamented.
Terror has no place in Africa and no place in humanity. Those individuals should find other ways of addressing their differences rather than waste of human life, the Malawian President said before calling for two minutes silent in respect of the 76 deceased Ugandans who died in the July 11, terrorist twin bombing blasts.
“Peacekeeping is a misnomer, we need a change in mandate for enforcing peace. We are seeing a situation whereby Africans attacking their fellow Africans and then boasting about it, that is unacceptable. As a regional body we must seek for a peaceful and diplomatic solution.” Says Kenya’s Foreign MinisterAffairs Moses Wetangula.
Earlier the AU peace and security Commissioner, Ramtane Lamamra had vigorously drummed up support for the change in mandate during an Au peace an security council meeting. This particular meeting was also attended by the various experts.
“We will certainly give leeway to Amisom so that it can accomplish its mission in the most comfortable manner, said an African diplomat.
He change in mandate means extra costs for military hardware and troops. Uganda currently
receives about USD 33 million annually for its 2,500 troops it contributed to Amisom, but that
figure is expected to rise sharply depending on what military hardware is required and the number of troop likely to be raised.
The number of Ugandan in Amisom is 2,500 and the number of total peacekeepers required is to contain the activities of Al-Shabaab militias is20,000.
Although almost all African countries had agreed with the option of militarily engaging Al-Shabaab terrorist, the reorganization of the operation or who should lead it is not.
A number of countries do not agree with the option of letting Uganda lead it unilateral mission. In fact deliberations’ the AU conference lacked a clear strategy, although all countries supported that there should be a regional military action against he militias. This is so because since most countries are for the UN led operation while others demanded a purely African mission with both manpower and logistics mobilized from within the continent.
However, what remains clear is that to go it alone against Al-Shabaab is still high on the table.”We know most countries just talk but do not commit themselves. We rare used to that, once we get the right intelligence {on Al-Shabaab and the logistics and the peacekeeping mission we shall go it alone. We are very ready,” Ugandan Minister for International Relations Okello Oryem was quote this week as saying.
Since the Kampala bombing President Museveni administration has made it clear his government will fight Al-Shabaab single handedly at the invitation of the Somali Transitional Federal Government should it fail to get support from other African governments .
Kampala position seemed to have the support of world powers like the United States and Great Britain.
At the same time Somali Defense Minister Abukar Abdi Osman hinted that the US was readily willing to help with the offensive although not directly.”They have promised logistics. We have been talking to them,’ he added.
Kenya, which is being accused of playing a “softer roles despite having constantly suffered on occasions in the hands of Al-Shabaab is reportedly demanding that Africa should instead mobilize troops than the EAC Standby Brigade and supplement the current amisom strength to raise the temporarily requied 20,000 troops for the operation.
Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com