Monday February 27, 2023
Mogadishu (HOL) - Brigadier William Kamoiro has taken over from Brigadier Jattani Gula as commander of the Kenyan Defence Forces contingent serving with the African Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS). The handover ceremony took place on Friday at the ATMIS Sector II Headquarters in Dhobley, Somalia, which is manned by the Kenyan Defence Forces.
Brigadier Gula supervised the eleventh ATMIS KDF contingent during his one-year tour of duty in Somalia, while Brigadier Kamoiro will command the twelfth ATMIS KDF contingent.
During his tenure, Brigadier Gula led his officers in joint operations with the Somali National Army (SNA) against the Al-Shabaab militants. He thanked his officers for their cooperation and commitment that enabled the contingent to carry out successful operations consistently with the SNA. He also highlighted the Kenya ATMIS contingent's implementation of several Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) projects to support various communities in Somalia. "We have done our best to win the hearts and minds of the population by providing medical assistance and supporting education. The Bilis Qoqani Primary School was a beneficiary," added Brigadier Gula.
The incoming commander, Brigadier Kamoiro, stated that he would prioritize building the capacity of the Somali security forces, supporting peace and reconciliation efforts, and a phased handover of security responsibilities to Somali security forces, all in line with the ATMIS mandate. He also promised to coordinate with Somali security forces to degrade Al-Shabaab through targeted operations across the sector and to support the Somali security forces in securing main supply routes and areas while mentoring the Somali National Army to carry out security tasks.
The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) was established in 2007 to support the Federal Government of Somalia in providing security and stability. In April, the U.N. Security Council authorized a new AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) to operate until the end of 2024, replacing the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).