According to a news release from the AMISOM public information released on Friday AMISOM staff and their counterparts from the UN and other partners gathered at the mission’s headquarters in Mogadishu, to sign a condolence book in honour of Alalo, where the AU Special Representative for Somalia and head of AMISOM, Francisco Caetano Madeira declared three days of mourning in her memory.
According to the release all African Union flags will also fly at half-mast as the world mourns Commissioner Alalo and other 156 other victims of the crash.
Ambassador Madeira described the late Commissioner of Police as an open and meticulous officer, in her method of work, and meetings with AMISOM partners, which he added is essential in ensuring continuity of the mission’s work.
“She was like a soldier who knew that any time (she) could fall, because the endeavor was dangerous. So she ensured that everybody knew the important things that has to be done,” Ambassador Madeira said.
AMISOM will later on Friday hold a night-long vigil in recognition of Commissioner Alalo’s contribution to the AU Mission and her outstanding leadership at the helm of the AU Police.
On Saturday, March 16, the mission will hold an inter-denominational funeral service in her honour.
Alalo joined AMISOM in June 2015 as Deputy Police Commissioner, a position she held until November 2017, when she took over the leadership of peacekeeping mission’s police in an acting capacity.
She was instrumental in providing guidance and leadership in the transformation of the Somali Police Force into a reliable and professional outfit, while preparing the force for the eventual takeover of policing responsibility from AMISOM, the mission said.
On Monday Uganda police confirmed that Commissioner Alalo was the Ugandan among the 157 people who died on the ill fated flight which crashed a few minutes after takeoff form Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa.
The commissioner was en-route from Italy, where she attended a conference.