Hiiraan Online

The event, at Gadiidka Booliska, the headquarters of the police transport department in North Mogadishu, attracted many government officials including the Interior and National Security Minister Abdikarim Hussein Guled.

Speaking to the cadets, President Mohamoud said, “Police discipline is the prerequisite of public confidence.”

He added, “This training will enhance your skills-set, knowledge, discipline, and expertise required for police officers to protect the people, your number one duty as officers.”

The head of state illustrated the need for more police training in Somalia.

“This small ceremony today is yet another step towards self-reliance in security and I congratulate you for being a part of that,” remarked President Mohamoud.

In the past, the Somali police forces had been notorious for lacking proper discipline and often inflicting harm on the people.

They often erected roadblocks in and out of towns to forcibly take money and other properties and were implicated in the killings of innocent people.

There was a perception that most of the members of the armed forces including the police belonged to former militia groups that served under various warlords; hence lacked the right discipline to properly serve the public.

Neighbouring countries including Ethiopia, Kenya, Djibouti and Uganda had provided facilities and expertise for the training of Somali forces.

While seeking the vote of the legislators prior to election in September 2012, President Mohamoud had stated that improvement of security will be his government’s policy number one, two and three.

Following the collapse of the dictatorial regime of the late General Mohamed Siad Barre in January 1991, the Somali Police Force was one of the first state institutions that disappeared as ragtag militias spearheaded mayhem and lawlessness.