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Kinyarwanda
Members of security organs operating in the eastern province have vowed to increase their partnership with the public in countering major crimes within the province.
The organs made the commitment during a provincial security meeting held on September 1, in Rwamagana District.
The meeting brought about 340 officials who also include district mayors, District Police Commanders and army representatives, coordinators of administrative security organ (DASSO) at the district and sector levels.
It is a follow up of the one held last mother on the national level that brought together the Ministry of Local Government, Rwanda National Police and local leaders on the provincial level, to discuss on the activities of DASSO and its challenges to execute its mandate.
This meeting resolved that provinces conduct similar sessions periodically to enhance the activities of DASSO, address the challenge they could be facing and strengthen partnership towards crime prevention.
Speaking during the meeting, the provincial Governor, Odette Uwamariya, thanked Rwanda National Police for its public outreach programmes and called on the public to trust security organs and report to them any security-related challenges they face.
Uwamariya particularly singled out community policing committees as one way the public can partner with security organs in crime prevention.
“Community policing gives citizens more control over the quality of life in their community. It also helps police to get closer to the people and have a better sense of residents’ needs, while also developing greater trust for each other,” said the Governor.
She added that it is everyone’s responsibility to safeguard the safety of their neighbourhood.
The Commissioner for Community Policing at Rwanda National Police (RNP), Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Damas Gatare, who represented the Inspector General of Police during the meeting, highlighted measures taken by the police in ensuring public safety.
“In maintaining security, police works with the public through community policing committees, neighborhood patrols, youth volunteers and anti-crime clubs among others” said ACP Gatare.
He told the security meeting that RNP will this September hold a road safety month to be officially launched in Kayonza District at the national level.
Meanwhile, the Eastern Regional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Emmanuel Karasi outlined the crime status in the region.
CSP Karasi said that between July and August, about 1, 450 crimes were registered, with majority related to assault, drug abuse, defilement, theft and violation of traffic rules.
“We also conducted several operations where we seized 6, 865 liters and 390 carton of banned gin, and 3, 865 liters of locally made illicit brew. During the operations, we also encountered close to 250 Burundians who had left camps and were moving and working around the province without identifications,” CSP Karasi said.
Besides the crime, he pointed out that several measures were taken against such crimes include public sensitization through community policing and neighbourhood watch.
In line with emphasizing human security, Karasi called on his fellow security operators and local leaders to keep encourage the public to take part in social development initiatives like SACCOs, One Cow Per poor family (Gir’inka) and Ubudehe among others.
“We have experienced several cases of bush fires in the Eastern Province; in line with environmental protection, and as security organs, we have to keep sensitizing the public against this malpractice,” he said.
Recent reports indicate that at least 327 hectares of land, including part of the national park, has been burnt in the region in the last one-and-half month.
About 184 hectares of the burnt land in the Eastern Province was in the eight sectors of Kayonza District.
