Rwanda National Police

The fight against selling and consumption of narcotics and illicit brew in Kicukiro District continued to the Integrated Polytechnic Regional Centre (IPRC) in Kigali on May 13 with a call to students to spearhead the campaign by reporting those involved, to effectively combat the vice.

Assistant Inspector of Police, Hamdun Twizeyimana, while speaking to over 600 students at the Polytechnic campus in Niboye sector, observed that majority of those involved in these illegal acts are the youth.

“We need to put hands together, share information on individuals selling and consuming cannabis, kanyanga and other substances so that they are arrested before their lure more youngsters into it,” AIP Twizeyimana said.

Drug abuse, though is on the tremendous decrease in the country due to vigorous measures initiated by the Rwanda National Police to break the supply chain, is said to be the contributor to school drop-outs, domestic violence and unwanted pregnancies.

He also explained to them on various types of drugs used in Rwanda such as cannabis, illicit gin such as kanyanga and chief waragi and locally distilled illegal brew called ibikwangari made out of sugarcane residues.

Cannabis, kanyanga and chief waragi are said to be trafficked into the country from neighbouring states, through porous borders.                          

Fabrice Iradukunda, one of the students also urged fellow youth to leave no room for such illegal acts to continue.

“I have seen what drug abuse can do…to cut short someone’s dreams. Some of my schoolmates in high school dropped out of school after they got addicted to drugs, others became parents at a young age. We need to stand up and help our fellow youth by fighting anything that might stand in their way to a better future such as drug abuse,” Iradukunda told fellow students.