Lt Col Odongo takes command of UN Guard Unit in Somalia
Feb 28, 2024
The unit protects UN personnel, premises, and assets in the Somali capital Mogadishu.
Lt Col Emmanuel Odongo (R) during the hand over.
Umar Kashaka
Journalist @New Vision
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Lt Col Emmanuel Odongo has taken over the command of the 10th United Nations Guard Unit (UNGU X) in Somalia.
The unit protects UN personnel, premises, and assets in the Somali capital Mogadishu.
On Tuesday, Odongo — who took over from Lt Col Peter Omeja — received the UN flag from Catriona Laing in Mogadishu.
Laing is the special representative of the UN secretary-general for Somalia and head of the UN assistance mission in the war-torn country.
The new unit commander then received the Ugandan flag from Brig. Gen. Anthony Lukwago, the Sector One contingent commander of ATMIS.
Lukwago represented land forces commander Lt Gen Kayanga Muhanga by also presiding over the function.
Troops of Uganda's army (UPDF) are serving under the African Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) — an African Union transition and drawdown mission from peacekeeping operations in Somalia.
A statement by the UPDF said Laing hailed UNGU's work in protecting UN compounds in Mogadishu.
She thanked Omeja for working tirelessly to successfully achieve the mandate and mission of the guard unit.
Laing commiserated with the Ugandan government for losing two members of the unit: one in a fire from mortar/rocket shelling and the other in a motor accident.
She pledged continued support to UNGU X and wished the departing commander all the best and the new one a safe stay in Somalia.
'Disciplined force'
In his remarks reproduced in the UPDF statement, Lukwago voiced similar wishes and congratulations to the outgoing and incoming commanders of the unit.
He was keen to underline that the Somali working environment remains complex due to the existence of Al-Shabaab.
According to Lukwago, the Al-Shabaab may take advantage of the inevitable gaps created by the ATMIS drawdown.
With this in mind, he urged extra vigilance from the Odongo-led unit to work towards ensuring that the mandate and mission were accomplished.
To achieve this, Lukwago's prescription is working diplomatically while also ensuring no stone is left unturned in keeping all UN personnel and their property safe and secure.
Brig. Gen. Francis Chemo, the defence attaché to Somalia, said raising the Ugandan flag higher is evidence of the outstanding performance by the guard unit to the satisfaction of the UN.
“This is only achieved with a disciplined force,” he said.
Chemo went on to encourage Odongo to ensure that the force is kept to the standards of the UN.
He then turned to Omeja, encouraging him to make good use of the accrued benefits in remembrance of the sacrifices made during the pacification of Somalia.
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