Rwanda National Police

Opinion leaders in Gatenga and Kagarama sectors of Kicukiro District have been urged to step up efforts in crime prevention in their communities.

 The call was made by police officers during a meeting  that brought together over 200 opinion leaders in the two sectors on November 12.

 The officers put much emphasis on fighting against gender based violence and child abuse as part of the ongoing campaign.

 Among the opinion leaders included community health workers, women representatives, members of Community Policing Committees and local leaders.

 The Kicukiro District Community Liaison Officer, Inspector of Police (IP) Hamdun Twizeyimana said: “You compose the most vital part of the society, you have the ability to shape your neighborhoods the way you want them to be that’s why they entrusted you with leadership responsibility, you should as well take on the responsibility of crime prevention.”

 IP Twizeyimana particularly urged the opinion leaders to consider abuse of drugs Gender based violence and child abuse as a security threat that should be uprooted through collective efforts.

“It’s criminal to mistreat any person either physically or mentally. We should not tolerate situations where one person takes advantage of the other’s vulnerability that’s why you should take the lead in sensitizing communities about this” he said.

 He also urged the opinion leaders to generally enhance their role in preventing other crimes like drug abuse saying that it’s criminal to use, carry, or sell drugs and narcotic substances like cannabis, illicit brew and other drugs. These substances have a health and financial effect to whoever abuses them.

 “Effects of these substances are not selective; they reach out to anyone from a child to an adult. This is why we should collectively wipe them out of our communities,” he said.

 One of the opinion leaders from Gatenga, Bernardine Kabisibwa said, “Meetings like this help us have a general understanding of issues and have a uniform approach. We are thankful to Rwanda National Police for its continued outreach programme to equip us with knowledge to counter crimes.”