Good salary, modern TVs, fancy phones, clean uniforms ... this is the new face of AMISOM Soldier in Somalia

[Admin]

 

It is seven years since Uganda sent 7,000 troops to Somalia under the African Union Peacekeeping mission (AMISOM). And for many soldiers, their lives will never be the same again.

 

 

Meals

After two days in Somalia, my worry for our soldiers was not about the possibility that they would lose their lives to the Al Shabaab terrorists. Rather, the possibility that our soldiers would return home too obese.

 

Our soldiers  have good meals – a lot better than their counterparts back here. Breakfast includes milk, juice, bread, sausages, eggs and juice, margarine and honey.

 

There is also a variety of flavors for your breakfast – tea leaves, coffee, or chocolate.

 

That is what soldiers enjoy for breakfast. Photo by Carol Natukunda

 

Lunch and supper mainly includes posho (good quality) rice, chicken and beef and sometimes fish, beans and greens and mayonnaise.

 

There is also dessert - apples, yoghurt, and oranges. In fact during one meeting with their Commander Brig. Dick Olum one morning, one soldier said he had a complaint.

 

“How come I ate only five apples this week?” he asked. At another time, one of the chefs asked visiting Ugandan journalists to carry as much yoghurt as they could. “The soldiers are tired of it” he said.

 

Army spokesperson Lt. Col. Paddy Ankunda says soldiers are still required to work out to watch their weight.

 

“The people who are stationed at the exact battle points might not put on weight because of the nature of the work. Those who are stationed at our units and checking points we encourage them to work out as much as possible,” Ankunda noted.

 

The mess (dining room) has a TV screen where they watch the international news channels as they enjoy their meal.

 

There is also a refrigerator stuffed with fruits, juice and water.

 

Courtesy photo: Major Renee Mwesigwa

 

Young ‘corporate’ women

On my first day in Mogadishu, I was shocked to see a feisty young woman, all groomed and dressed up in military uniform.

I was thinking she is just a secretary for the UPDF in Mogadishu.

 

She looked like any of those corporate women you see around town.   But that was until I saw her juniors saluting her.

 

I later learnt that her name is Maj. Renee Mwesigwa. She was among the women that President Yoweri Museveni gave medals for their outstanding work during this year’s Women’s day celebrations.

 

She is a wife and a mother. Like Mwesigwa, the UPDF, now boasts of having so many women soldiers at the frontline. They look young, stylish and cool in their military gears.

 

All professions

The army has nearly every expert in them.  There are lawyers, accountants, nurses, teachers, and IT professionals among others.

 

They have caterers to cook, they have doctors among themselves name it. Captain Betty Akello Otekat, the head of nurses under the AMISOM says she was an enrolled nurse under the ministry of health.

 

She decided to join the army and she has never looked back. She says serving in a risk zone has been rewarding. “After training, I have ably juggled family, school and my career.

 

I completed a degree in nursing and I am now doing my masters. Some people think being in the army is the end of your life. But for me, it has just the beginning,” Akello says, adding that the remuneration is also good especially if one has to serve in the risky area.

 

“A nurse working here earns over 800 dollars on average,” she reveals.  Another UPDF soldier confided he was a lawyer. “Since I joined the army, my life has not been the same.

 

I can defend security at the same time; I am able to give legal advice to my people or colleagues within the army.”

 

The soldiers have two types of uniforms. Photo by Carol Natukunda

 

Sleek phones and flat screens

If there is UPDF soldier in Somalia who doesn’t own a sleek phone, it is just that they simply don’t want to buy one. Or at least one who has not bought a flat TV screen for their families back home.

 

It might just be that they are rigid. The UPDF soldiers are earning in dollars. They receive part of their salary as allowance, while the rest is deposited on their bank accounts.

But still the allowances they get are enough for them to afford modern TV sets in Somalia, which they send back home when they can.

 

Uniforms 

There was a time a UPDF soldier had to dress up in tattered uniform. Not anymore. According to Ankunda, each soldier now receives two pairs of uniforms every year.

 

One set of the uniform has smaller prints/sheds compared to the usual uniform we have known for years.

 

The gumboots are no longer the ordinary plastic ones which burn the feet under hot sun. They are leather boots.

They also have t-shirts backpacks, water bottles among other necessities.

 

Discipline

Forget their mean faces. It is only part of their job. A UPDF soldier in Somalia does not shake hands with civilians or even get too close unless you are in danger and they are coming to your rescue.

 

You just might be the enemy they are looking for. This has earned them respect and admiration from the local Somalis so much that the Somalis now understand some Luganda.

 

Commander: Brig. Dick Olum

 

Residence

 

Although sleeping is a luxury in a soldier’s life, once you are off duty, you are assured of a goodnight’s sleep.

The bathrooms have a shower and flush toilets. Around some of the designated military bases, you can access internet, although it is slow.

 

The rooms are improvised metallic containers. But they are painted and spotlessly clean.

Each room has four mattresses with bed sheets and a wardrobe.

 

There is also AC so you don’t even feel the heat even in this desert.

 

Electricity is mainly solar. Although the water from the sea is salty, the UPDF is trying to have it treated.

 

Source: http://www.newvision.co.ug/

 

http://www.somaliaonline.com/good-salary-modern-tvs-fancy-phones-clean-uniforms-this-is-the-new-face-of-amisom-soldier-in-somalia/

[CidanSultan]

Ahhh the good life as colonial officer for the worlds only colony in the 21st century Somalia.

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

The Bantu nations in Somalia are living the dream. These Countries Uganda burundi and Kenya have no interest of leaving also Ethiopia has no interest of leaving. I will not be surprised if they sell some of the arms to Shabaab , they drive shabaab out from a few villages, but than allow Shabaab to move in another village or go under ground and allow Shabaab to carry out attacks. Where does Alshabab get its explosives and its arms. One would say that 30.000 troops can annihilate 2000 militia from Somalia. The 2 groups need each other The Europeans keeps the payment every month on time and the Bantu states remain in Somalia.

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

[Hawdian]

Will they have internet in The base so expect them to read sol aswell. I for one dont have anything against the ugandians everybody is looking for their own selfinterest . So why shouldnt they have a piece of the pie.

[malistar2012]

 

There are lot of Negatives when foreign Intervention takes place in war torn areas. Make no Mistake The African Union Troops came to Somalia in times of Great Need were Terrorist organization such as Al Qeada over run the newly TFG admin . The Few extra dollar they earning living in containers risking their life should not be over exaggerate.

 

 

 

 

 

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

Ofcourse nation states Kenya uganda are protecting their interest its just sad that Some Somalis think the Ugandans are their brothers lol . Somalis used to be arrogant but no more.

[Hawdian]

@ Malistar few extra dollar? Im sorry buddy but you just too naive let me give you a basic salary for a Amisom soldier in Moqadishu thats 1000 dollar per month and you have more than 17000 soldiers from diff nations. You add up the numbers and the somaliya mission startes in 07 - will countinue to atleast 2016 . Compare this with the average pay the native soldier gets non they have beg for food from civilians and quality of his food rations. Very big different .

[malistar2012]

 

The United Nations has authorized 63 peacekeeping missions as of February 2009. These do not include interventions authorized by the UN like the Korean War and the Gulf War. The 1990s saw the most UN peacekeeping operations to date.

 

The UN/AU are assisting the newly formed Somali Gov defeat Al Qaeada ? ...... This war is not internal Conflict - A terrorist organization led by foreign Mans are trying to change Somali history Exploiting Young Somalis brained washed by AL Qeada.

 

 

The Few extra dollar and living in Containers eating regular meals should not be over exaggerated .

 

Tell me about the African Union Troops conditions that are station in rural desert areas such as Gedo - Galgaduud- Jubba - Bay and Bakol .

 

[OdaySomali]

Honestly, this stuff makes me sick.

 

22,000 AMISOM troops @

$1,200-$1,500 per month = $26.4m-$33m. Yearly = $316.8m-$396m.

[Tillamook]

<cite>

@Hawdian

said:</cite>

Compare this with the average pay the native soldier gets non they have beg for food from civilians and quality of his food rations. Very big different .

 

Pray tell us, who's primary responsibility is it to feed and pay the so called "native soldier"?

 

We have a saying in Somalia..."dhinicii loo dhaco ayaa loo dhutiyaa".

 

Somalia is a nation recovering from many years of turmoil and civil strife, and up until we have a stable and functioning government that is able to collect taxes and provide for the country's armed forces, we will have to endure the African forces and their paying European overlords.

 

So be patient, don't become party pooper. Let our African brethren enjoy their newly found gold strike

[CidanSultan]

^^^

 

Saxib in all honousty we Somalis are very different from one another. We look similar but that's about it.

 

Look at malister and the one above they are happy that au soldiers are getting rich off the back of their misery.

 

Now ask yourself why?

 

A Somalilander would never accept any foreign forces on his land. The pirates are in pergatory at the moment with two villages and hense for that reason they can't invite troops but they hail from the likes of ssdf which was the first "somali force" to plant an Ethiopian flag on somali soil not to mention the late Yusuf marching into mugdisho on the backs of Ethiopians to kill thousands of Somalis.

 

The same is true in kismayo.

 

We are very very different from these southerns.

 

The only reason why mugdisho accepts au forces is because we all know if they leave its back to Alshabab rule permanently.

 

Malister the au are not only in rural cities they protect your president, airport, port and artificial institutions.

 

They are your back bone for you it a choice of temporary life on ventilation or death.

 

The life support machine will not be on permanently.

[Tillamook]

^

Go on with that nonsense outta here!

 

Foreign forces are in YOUR country, and that country is called Somalia.