One may consider Somalia a failed state and rightly so. Al Shabaab terror group turned the country upside down and were extending their bad behavior into neighboring countries. But the country is on a mend. Kenya, Uganda, Burundi sent their troops to cut the legs of al shabaab and they have done a pretty job at it. A lot needs to be done and the only way to achieve this is to allow the Somalis to be in charge of their own security. So how much are Somali policemen and women paid?
Salary of Somali Police Forces (SPF)
Being a police officer in Somalia is not an enviable vocation. The possibility of an al shabaab element strapped with bombs blowing himself to further their cause is a daily reality. The 6,800 Somalis who make the police force need all the encouragement to hold their fragile country together. To motivate the SPF, the European Union (EU) topped up their salary by $300 per month.
Part of the statement on the increment read by EU Head of Delegation and Ambassador to Somalia Veronique Lorenzo :
“salary top-up payments to the Somali Police have been a major engagement from the European Union since 2014 in order to ensure that police officers are adequately compensated for providing increased security, law and order. Regular payments are critical to ensure loyalty, commitment, morale, performance and retention of skilled police officers and the EU recognizes the improvement by the Somali government in ensuring that salaries to the security forces are paid on time”.
This increment means that the officers are well paid than their Ugandan counterparts. The Somali army has, however, been downed their tools after going for months without pay.
Col. Abdi Mohamed Ahmed told Reuter’s:
“The military soldiers here have not taken salaries for four months. We are now on (the) way to Mogadishu,” Ahmed said.
“It is painful to be in the frontline and fighting al Shabaab while your wife and kids are starving.” Next
