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Diplomat’s ejection linked to spat over Amisom

Saturday November 06 2021
Ugandan diplomat Simon Mulongo

Ugandan diplomat Simon Mulongo. He has been given seven days to leave the country for allegedly taking part in “incompatible activities” contrary to the strategy of Amisom and Somalia, according to statement from Somalia’s Foreign ministry. FILE PHOTO | COURTESY

By ABDULKADIR KHALIF
By AGGREY MUTAMBO

Mr Simon Mulongo, the deputy Special Representative of the AU Mission in Somalia (Amisom), was on Thursday, given seven days to leave the country for allegedly taking part in “incompatible activities” contrary to the strategy of Amisom and Somalia, according to statement from Somalia’s Foreign ministry. 

It did not clarify the “activities” Mr Mulongo was accused of, but the letter came to light just a day after Foreign Minister Mohamed Abdirizak hinted at suspicion of ‘individuals hindering the nation.’

Mr Abdirizak tweeted Wednesday: “Somalia will realise implementation of the Somalia Transition Plan, everyone will be held accountable for their actions, no one will be allowed to hinder the Somali nation, we have simply come too far.”

On Thursday, he tweeted: “The Federal Government of Somalia will hold accountable Amisom personnel, particularly at leadership level, who are expected to be beyond reproach in their integrity as they discharge duty under the UN/AU mandate.”

Hybrid extension

Sources in government told The EastAfrican that Mr Mulongo was seen as a stumbling block to Somalia’s proposal to have a transition plan to see Amisom exit the country totally by 2023, having begun transferring security duties to local authorities from January next year.

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Somalia last month objected to all four proposals by the AU on the future of Amisom, a UN-mandated peacekeeping force directly under AU guidance.

In fact, the AU Peace and Security Council last month adopted the proposal for a hybrid extension, seeing Amisom transit to an AU-UN peacekeeping force with more technical and humanitarian personnel than combat troops as it is today.

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