Rwanda National Police

Rwanda National Police (RNP) has embarked on anti-drug abuse campaign in international schools as part of the comprehensive health education and drug prevention among the young people.

The campaign, which kick-off on November 17, is exploring the use of sports in preventing youth substance abuse problems.

A number of international schools in Kigali have been pooled in groups for an anti-substance abuse basketball tournament during which the RNP educates students on health and legal repercussions as well as build a strong community policing bond to fight drug dealers.

"The young people including students, are the majority victims of hard drugs and cases of substance abuse have been reported in some schools.

This campaign, therefore, is meant to educate them on dangers of substance abuse, how they to work with other young people and Rwanda National Police through information sharing on drug dealers," said Commissioner of Police (CP) Bruce Munyambo, the Commissioner for Community Policing at the RNP.

He added: "These are future leaders whose lives and potential risk being destroyed by evil-minded people for selfish interest.

Through this campaign, were are already seeing results as students come forward to report drug dealers, who sell them narcotics and tricks used. So far, we have received four cases of E-cigarette as well as other cases of hard drugs. We also now know that some drugs are delivered to the young people through snacks and other foodstuff."

CP Munyambo said that the campaign is conducted in partnership with schools to "educate and protect the students" from drug and to identify drug dealers.

During the campaign, some students raised concerns of lack of parental care as well as monitoring as the choice rests in their hands to decide a life they want to live.

Also raised is the issue of parents, who give children a lot of money as well as peer influence, which lures them into drugs and alcohol abuse.