Rwanda National Police

Drug abuse is a major catalyst for gender-based related crimes and must be fought by everyone in order to spur societal orderliness and development.

The message was sounded on February 25 by the Mayor of Nyamagabe District, Philbert Mugisha during a meeting with over 80 members of the National Youth and Women Councils, residents and attended by some police officers operating in district.

“Drug abuse is a dangerous act that fuels gender-based-violence and other crimes that affect the socio-economic set up of economies and communities. Real development cannot happen unless we fight this scourge – therefore – we should all come together and fight it,” Mugisha said.

“As representatives of youth and women, keep up the good work of sensitizing your community members and also work with authorities like Police to crack down on people or groups that are involved in drug abuse in your neighborhoods,” he added.

The District Community Liaison Officer, Inspector of Police (IP) Ignace Nuwayo advised the youth to shun drug abuse and other illegal acts and concentrate on their education and other development activities.

“The youth are the future of Rwanda and they must conduct themselves in an honorable manner by not tolerating drugs, violence and criminality. They must also be ambassadors of good ethics by sensitizing their counterparts about the dangers of drug abuse,” IP Nuwayo said.

Fighting gender-based-violence and preventing drug trade are among major priorities of the Rwanda National Police.

The force is continuously engaged in community awareness through community policing to fight and prevent crimes like GBV and to break the supply chain of illegal drugs and illicit brew.

Awareness programmes in communities, on radios and during special programmes like ‘community policing month and Police Week have also helped to make the public understand the negative effects of drug abuse, thus contributing greatly to the tremendous reduction of the vice.