A Kenyan general Lt. General Jonathan Rono has taken over leadership of the AMISOM Force from a Ugandan military officer Lt Gen Andrew Gutti.
The other Kenyan also in top AMISOM command is LT Colonel Paul Njuguna, who is the force’s spokesman.
In his initial statement after the new responsibility, Lt. General Jonathan Rono expressed his commitment to oversee the troops’ success in war-torn Somalia.
- The General said the troops have a strategy in place that will deal the militant group a final blow in a short notice.
- The Force Commander has urged the troops to observe the principle of unity, pan-Africanism and brotherhood while carrying out their mandate.
AMISOM forces entered Somalia in October 2011to help the Somali Federal government fight members of the terrorism group in the country the Harakat Al Shabaab Al Mujahideen (HSM).
HSM is out to institute a forced system of governance based on Islamic ways of life. In this bid, they have captured regions in Somalia, forcing the civilians to pay taxes. They have also attacked government institutios and AU bases.
Contrary to OSINT sources that have reported the backing off of AMISOM forces from Somalia, the troops have re- organized themselves with a clear focus to wipe the militants out of the remaining bases which they control.
The immediate former Amisom commander was from Burundi Lt. Gen. Silas Ntigurirwa