The Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia, Ambassador Francisco Caetano Madeira, says he is in shock and saddened by the untimely death of Police Commissioner Christine Alalo who was, until her demise, the acting Police Commissioner of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).
Police Commissioner Christine Alalo was aboard Ethiopian Airlines flight ET302 from Addis Ababa to Nairobi which crashed a few minutes after taking-off from Bole International Airport on Sunday.
Madeira said Alalo will be remembered for her dedication, commitment and professionalism with which she led the African Union Police component in Somalia since 2015 and for the very positive results she was able to obtain in that capacity.
He has extended his condolences to the Government and the people of Uganda, relatives, and friends of the late.
“The entire AMISOM family is with the people and the government of Uganda, with Emmanuel and Alvin, sons of our beloved C.P Christine Alalo, in this moment of sorrow and despondency. May her soul rest in peace,” Ambassador Madeira said.
Meanwhile the European Union (EU) and its member states have extended condolences to the late officer’s family, saying that she was a champion of human rights and a former winner of the EU Human Rights Defenders Award in Uganda.
At the time of her death, CP Alalo was serving as the Acting Police Commissioner AMISOM and her tour of duty was expected to end in June, 2019. She joined the police as a cadet/ ASP on August 18, 2001 and served as in various capacities of command. She was a highly respected member of the force who loved her job.
“She died while on duty and ably carried the image of the force and our country Uganda to greater heights and will be sadly missed,’ Mr Fred Enanga the Police Spokesperson said in the statement.
He said CP Alalo is survived by two sons, Emmanuel and Alvin.
Meanwhile, police have formed a task team to trace the remains of the Commissioner who was among the 157 people who died on Sunday in the plane crash.
Before working internationally (with UNMISS and AMISOM), Christine Alalo headed the Department of Child and Family Protection Unit in Uganda. In 2014, she was awarded the EU Human Rights Defenders Award for her work in tackling, among other things, child abuse. A quote from the award ceremony states that “Christine stood out in the Uganda Police Force as a change agent, who is readily accessible and approachable. She dares to tackle cultural practices and attitudes that relegate women and children to domestic abuses”.
Christine Alalo carried the same esprit de corps with her to her challenging job as AMISOM Police Commissioner. Without losing the glint in her eyes and with her booming laughter echoing the AMISOM HQ hallways, she stayed firm and did not give an inch when it came to issues such as integrity, human and gender rights.
“We will always remember her vibrant energy, her wisdom and poise, her positive outlook on life and the glint in her eyes. Over the years, she became an invaluable interlocutor to European Union Capacity Building Mission in Somalia (EUCAP) and we cherished the advice and wisdom she shared with us, which she had gained from her more than 15 years of experience working in the Ugandan police force,” EUCAP Somalia’s Head of Mission Maria-Cristina Stepanescu said in memory of the late.