Rwanda National Police

Police and local leaders in Kirehe District, on September 18, reached out of families facing domestic conflicts in Kirehe Sector and urged them to settle their differences in a peaceful manner and to live in harmony.

The event was also attended by community elders.

It was an occasion of testimonies from conflicting couples and narrating their ordeals, which culminated into moments of forgiveness and commitments towards family development.

One of the reconciled and reunited couples is Claude Banguwiha and his wife Solange Uwimbabazi. The couple was living apart due property related conflicts.

Uwimbabazi told the gathering that her husband was misusing the family income, spending the money drinking and contributing barely anything to support the family.

“He had become a drunkard…he had subjected me to physical and psychological torture, so I decided to leave him to have peace,” Uwimbabazi narrated.

Her spouse, Banguwiha owned up all his mistakes to his family and wife in particular committing not to repeat the “bad behaviours” as he asked his wife for forgiveness.

It was a moment of joy as couples hugged each other as a sign of forgiveness.

While addressing the couples, Inspector of Police (IP) Gahigi Harelimana, the District Community Liaison Officer (DCLO) of Kirehe, reminded the couples that “conflicts results into criminal behaviours.”

“The husband and wife, by law, have equal rights in the family and on property. This harmony in rights is a source towards family social cohesion and welfare towards development,” IP Gahigi told the couples.

He warned especially husbands against mistreating their spouses and children, acts that amount to gender based violence and abuse of children right, respectively.

The DCLO also advised them to always seek redress from local authorities and other justice entities. He also urged the residents on neighbourhood watch and always provide information on conflicting families so as they are addressed before they turn violent.

IP Gahigi embarked on the issue of abusing drugs as one of the causes of domestic conflicts, and called for partnership against all sorts of drugs.

Meanwhile, local leaders appealed to couples that are living illegally to legalise their marriages.

Police and local leaders also pledged to follow up the reconciled couples in their homes to ensure that they differences are successfully addressed.