Rwanda National Police

Rwanda National Police (RNP) has continued its initiative to reconcile troubled families, as part of its initiative to foster peace and security in neighborhoods with a view to preventing domestic conflicts and resulting g crimes.

 On October 8, police counselors reached out to ten families in Gahara Sector, Kirehe District and endeavored to reconcile spouses who had suffered domestic deputes, which concerned their neighbors that they might escalate into crime.

 In the interactive sessions, these spouses willingly opened up to police and shared their experiences, and the police counselors endeavored to provide advice on how to reconcile without having to engage in activities such as gender-based-violence (GBV).

 Joseph Uwimana, 58, and his wife Kamuyumbu Beatha, 52, - who benefited from this program – noted that their relationship was almost destroyed because of differences on asset ownership.

 “As a husband, I accept that I misused our property because I did not think that my wife and children were also owners of my property. I also wasted the family money in alcohol rather than buying necessities and when my wife complained, I assaulted her,” Uwimana said, as he held his wife’s hand.

 “But today I understand that what I did was wrong and I am going to ensure that I put my family first. I am surprised that Police takes such steps to reach out to the public and discuss with us on how to overcome family wrangles.”

 Another resident, Mbarubukeye Clementine, 43, also noted that she always quarreled with her husband and even their neighbors had failed to bridge their differences.

 “Today we are talking calmly and smiling with my husband for the first time in a long period. Our children were always scared because we fought so much; but I am glad that we discussed openly and found solutions to our problems,” she noted.

 The District Community Liaison Officer of Kirehe, Assistant Inspector of Police (AIP) Gahigi Harelimana, noted that the police counselors always make follow ups with these families, to ensure that they put in practice what they agreed to do.

 “Police realized the need to help families overcome misunderstandings; whereby, police counselors /community liaison officers reach out to identified families and help them forge a way to solve their differences amicably. We regularly call them and visit them to ensure that they are still in the frame of reconciliation,” he said.

 He also called on other families with wrangles to reconcile, or seek for help, before they escalate into crimes such as GBV, child neglect and aggravated assault.