Amisom police chief Brig.Gen. Pillay concludes service after 3 years

Amisom police commissioner Brigadier General Anand Pillay has concluded his term after heading the police division of the African Union Mission in Somalia for three years.

Amisom announced Wednesday Brig.Gen. Pillay was leaving the mission after end of his duty of tour. “Brigadier General Anand Pillay, the Police Commissioner with the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), has left the Mission, after the end his tour of duty.”

Pillay, a South African was appointed May 14 as head of Amisom police succeeding Charles Makono of Zimbabwe.

Amisom praised Pillay’s contribution to the force noting he played an instrumental role in ‘operationalizing key reforms in the Somali police sector, in the federal government and regional states’.

“Under his leadership, AMISOM Police rolled out an elaborate capacity building plan for the Somali Police Force, which included screening, recruiting, training and mentoring Somali police officers,” Amisom said in a statement.

It noted that Pillay took office Amisom police had been able to extend its services newly recovered areas; and expanded its operations to the state capitals, in Baidoa in South West state, Jowhar in HirShabelle state, Dhobley and Kismayo in Lower Jubba region and Beletweyne in Hiiraan region.

“You were the first person to implement the new policing model, we have seen you successfully securing the elections, you have been successful in trying to push, so that we go to the recovered areas, despite the challenges that are there,” Police Commissioner Ms. Christine Alalo said.

The outgoing Police Commissioner advised AMISOM Police to focus on efforts that will ensure the Somali Police Force is self-reliant, adequately trained and equipped to preside over policing responsibilities in all of Somalia.

“What have we done to develop their capacity; of getting their own trainers, capacitating them, mentoring them, and ensuring that they can train their own people?”, he posed the question.

“You need to start to do that, identify groups of Police officers from the Somalis, and train them to a level where they can go and do what you are doing,” Brig. Gen. Pillay said, in his parting shot.