New commander for Somali peacekeepers

President Yoweri Museveni has reshuffled the leaders of the African Union peacekeeping Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). Maj. Gen. Francis Okello, who has been the commander of the contingent, was recalled to the army headquarters in Bombo. He was replaced by Maj. Gen. Nathan Mugisha, who was commandant of the Jinja-based Senior Command and Staff College Kimaka. Gen. Andrew Guti was moved from Kimaka to the Uganda Military Academy Kabamba, while Col. Clovis Kalyebala was made the substantive deputy commander of the Senior Command and Staff College. Brig. Fred Tolit was sent to New York as a military adviser, where he will replace George Igumba. Col. Kyomukama Kafura replaced Tolit as Uganda’s military adviser at the East African Community. Army spokesperson Maj. Felix Kulayigye said the changes were routine. He added that allegations that the changes were made due to the President’s disappointment with the performances of the AMISOM leadership were untrue. The changes come amid increasing attacks on Somalia’s government palace by Islamic insurgents, where the AU troops are based. Since May, more than 165,000 people have fled Mogadishu as Islamists battle government forces. President Sharif Ahmed, a moderate Islamist, took office in January, but even his introduction of the Sharia law in the Muslim country has not appeased the hardliners. Uganda and Burundi are the only countries that have sent peacekeeping troops to Somalia, totalling 4,300 out of the required 8,000.