Rwanda National Police

The story of Dariya  Mukayiranga's love and determination to fight for the rights of the vulnerable groups has become a moving story that has driven change in Kinazi Sector of Ruhango District, where she hails.

The 35-year old mother of two is today an anti-crime ambassador or call him a self-styled voice of the people in crime prevention, if you want.

The outspoken woman, who is also known countrywide just by name for her participation in call-in programmes on various radio stations, especially Radio Rwanda, speaks about injustices committed by both leaders and the public or people in her community.

"I feel is should contribute substantively to fighting lawlessness in my community, I felt through media I can reach out to all Rwandans," says Mukayiranga.

The mother of two teenagers is a celebrated member of community policing and anti-crime campaigns in her village where she is held of high esteem for her volunteerism activities as a police partner.

On any normal days, Mukayiranga would go on with household tasks at her semi-permanent house in Ruhango, as she listens in to her favorite radio programmes.

"Fighting injustices and ensuring that Rwandans are safe doesn't require to be rich...it is just a commitment and values. Even one minute call-in to contribute to a programme to educate Rwandans can make a difference," she says. 

“People even older than me come to seek solutions to their domestic problems, elected leaders will often seek my input before a decision is made or to resolve a conflict.” 

“We as citizens are called to help in the anti-crime campaign. The culture is that is should only be police to fight crime but a responsibility of everyone to to ensure that our communities are safe and secure.”

But what drives Mukayiranga community policing actions?

Mukayiranga, whose family survives just on farming, says  she is "motivated by seeing people’s problems addressed and crime eliminated from her community more than any 'financial or material rewards'”.

 “I envision a peaceful Rwanda conducive to economic and social development for the well-being and happiness of the people in my community.”

Turning point

The year was 2007 when she felt she was treated unfairly about land she had been tilling for years but was later to be taken by a “powerful” person, her food crops uprooted with orders from local leaders.

She narrates how her in-laws purportedly sold the land taking advantage of the absence of her husband how had been away for a while.

“I pleaded with the leaders to listen to my side of the story or at least allow me time to at least harvest my crops but everything fall on deaf ears,” she recalls.

Disappointed in her leaders and desperate for a solution, she decided to participate in a phone-in during Umushyikirano national dialogue where she narrated her ordeal, a call she says turned the tide of her challenges.

“The following morning, police came with some leaders to assess the matter, the area leaders were reprimanded and caused to apologies to me and my land was returned.”

"Since then, I have never looked back. I decided to become the voice of the people and police in particular to address anything that can affect the well being of the Rwandans."

“I have never looked back because from then I understood people are victimized because of just ignorance.”

When the ideal of anti-crime ambassadors fell in her ears, she responded positively with actions.

You will, every morning, likely listen to her voice contributing in radio talkshows on stopping domestic and gender based violence, and boldly pressing leaders to be countable to their people.

Mukayiranga is a keen follower of RNP’s public engagement initiatives and would hesitate to make studio call-in to raise queries but also speak-up for her community against lawlessness.

Like Mukayiranga, David Hategekimana, a commercial motorcyclist resident of Kicukiro District has also taken the same path to campaign against crimes through live phone-in shows in radios.

The community mobilization activities, according to Chief Supt. Rose Muhisoni aims to marshal the whole community “to establish strong and sustainable community involvement against lawlessness and criminality from the grassroots.”

"Mukayiranga and Hategekimana are among many Rwandans, who pave taken different paths to address challenges that affect their communities, and to work with police to ensure that such security issues are addressed," says Chief Supt. Muhisoni, who is the Deputy Commissioner for Community Policing in RNP.

Indeed, public support for community policing methods is evident from the soaring number of people so far volunteering to make sure that people in Rwanda are safe, involved and reassured.

CSP Muhisoni says that about ten faith-based organizations and over twenty radio ambassadors such as Mukayiranga are among the partners that cooperate with police to prevent crime.

Today, there are over 200, 000 members of youth volunteers in community policing, about 140, 000 community policing committees, 2000 anti-crime clubs in schools and communities.

Other groupings include anti-crime ambassadors, who include artistes, producers, comedians and movies stars as well as police ambassadors composed of high profile officials from public and private institutions. 

"Many determinants of violence and crime are local in context and better tackled through local interventions. These partners help educate people to exercise vigilance and be able to deny the criminals the opportunity to commit crimes, and where it occurs, it becomes easy to identify, locate and apprehend perpetuators,” says Chief Supt. Muhisoni.

"Crime prevention is not only the responsibility of the police but it is also the responsibility of the community."

Community policing is one of the RNP key priorities.