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Kinyarwanda
The Rwanda National Police (RNP), on June 9, launched countrywide activities to mark its 14th anniversary and the 20th liberation celebrations – Kwibohora20 – with focus on supporting vulnerable families as part of the force’s support towards poverty eradication, health development and ensuring sustainable security.
Click here to view Photos of Police week in Karongi District
This year’s Police Week celebration was also a reflection on the 14 years journey since its establishment back in June 2000.
The RNP was formed after merging Gendarmerie Nationale, which was under the Ministry of Defense, the Communal Police under the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Judicial Police under the Ministry of Justice.
During the anniversary activities which were officially launched in Karongi district, RNP paid medical insurance premiums for 1500 people, gave ten cows and awarded eight individuals and groups with Rwf2.3 million for composing best songs and poems that promote Police-Public partnership through the community policing proactive approach.
Police also handed over a house worth Rwf9 million it constructed for a vulnerable genocide survivor – Felicitee Mukankundiye – in Busasamana sector of Nyanza district and inaugurated the construction of other four houses for vulnerable communities in the district.
Click here to view Photos of Police week in Nyanza District
“I don’t have enough words to express my joy today. It is beyond me. These are fruits of good leadership spearheaded by our President. Merci beaucoup (thank you) President Paul Kagame,” the joyful Mukankundiye said.
Other donations include 420 mobile phones given to heads of villages in Nyanza to easy the communication system with security organs in crime prevention, mosquito nets and a motorcycle given to one Juvenal Ndagijimana of Musanze District for his outstanding songs on crime prevention.
Click here to view Photos of Police Week in Musanze District
Police posts inaugurated
In Kirehe district where the activities also focused on crime prevention, four Police posts valued at Rwf70 million were inaugurated.
The police posts were constructed by the district in the sectors of Gahara, Mahama, Mpanga and Kigarama as a gesture of the good and active cooperation between the force and the district to strengthen security measures.
Click here to view Photos of Police Week in Kirehe District
Alvera Mukabaramba, Minister of State for Community Development and Social Affairs in the Ministry of Local Government called upon the general population to double their effort in maintaining security, which she said is a pillar to development.
The Inspector General of Police, Emmanuel K. Gasana also called on Rwandans to play a greater role in the fight against crime.
“Village is the foundation for sustainable security. We have to build further on what has so far been achieved,” he said.
The Police Chief pledged the force’s continued support to development initiatives and getting poor communities out of poverty as one of the ways for sustainable security.
“We are here today to celebrate the partnership and achievement registered in the past years, but we have to go further and to maintain what has been achieved and also lay a firm foundation for crime prevention,” IGP Gasana said.
He however said that road accidents and drug abuse, among others, are still major challenges to security and cautioned drivers and motorcyclists against violating traffic rules.
He also echoed the need to strengthen cooperation to fight those few security threats and report people involved.
Protais Murayire, Mayor of Kirehe observed that the unique partnership with the RNP led to the reduction of crimes by 43 percent since last year.
The district, he added, established 46 anti-crime clubs in schools and established a hotline - 4137 - for easy and timely reporting of crimes and to enhance security in the district.
Earlier on in Western Province, Karongi district, Jeanne d’Arc Gakuba, the Vice President of the Senate, who presided over the official launch, commended the partnership between Police and other institutions and the public especially in reinforcing security and safety in the country.
“A lot has been achieved in terms of security in the past 20 years and let’s continue to build on that to ensure sustainable security,” Gakuba said.
She lauded Police for its health development initiatives, including the establishment of Kacyiru Police Hospital, Isange One stop Centre and Rugabano health Centre in Karongi.
Isange, which operates under Kacyiru Police Hospital provides free medical, psycho-socio and legal services to gender violence victims and is being scaled-up to all district hospitals across the country.
Rugabano health centre established in 2007 by RNP in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Karongi district serves about 1000 families living in the area.
The Minister of Internal Security Sheikh Musa Fazil Harelimana, during the launch in Musanze which also focused on crime prevention, commended the Northern Province residents for cooperating with RNP to combat security threats in the region.
He urged them to embrace government development programmes like Gir’Inka, subscribe to public medical insurance scheme and fight those who try to involve them in illegal and subversive activities.
The Police Week activities and celebrations came at the time when Rwandans are gearing to celebrate “Kwibohora 20” that marks the achievements registered by the Government of Rwanda spearheaded by the visionary able leadership of H.E President Paul KAGAME and Rwanda Patriotic Front that set the foundation and standards for sustainable peace and security which are pre-requisites for economic and social development.
