Rwanda National Police

Police in Nyagatare District joined residents of Gatunda Sector on Tuesday, to plant trees as part of the afforestation and environmental conservation programme.

They planted about 2000 trees on a two-hectare land in Gatunda, which is part of the forest that was destroyed by the local residents.

Assistant Inspector of Police (AIP) Isabella Izabiriza, the commander for Gatunda Police station, while addressing the residents, urged them to desist from all acts of environmental degradation like cutting trees, bush burning and burning garden waste.

“Planting trees is one of the ways to conserve nature, that's why RNP is actively engaged in planting more trees as well as enforcing the law on environmental protection against all those who try to destroy it," AIP Izabiriza said.

She further appealed to the residents to be security agents by reporting all those they suspect to be engaged in criminal activities like drug dealing, gender based violence and child abuse.

The Agronomist of Gatunda Sector, Eriya Mberabagabo, while addressing the residents, thanked Police for the existing collaboration in human security and socio-economic development activities, including environmental protection.

“It is the responsibility of everyone to plant and protect trees in order to prevent disasters that may happen due to wilderness, and to meet the government target under the environmental protection programme,” Mberabagabo told the residents.

He urged them to protect the planted trees and plant more in their homes and gardens.

“The more trees we plant the more we prevent issues like global warming, air pollution and depletion of the ozone layer, which affects people’s lives,” Mberabagabo said.

In 2017, Rwanda National Police (RNP) and then Ministry of Lands and Forestry, signed a memorandum of understanding to partner in areas of afforestation, forest management and protection, tree planting, land management and protection, public awareness and community mobilization; law enforcement; and soil protection related activities.

The partnership binds the two institutions to plant at least 27, 000 hectares of trees in the next five years – 5, 000 hectares of hilly areas and 22, 000 hectares agroforestry places