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Fighting GBV should be top priority among African security organs – President Kagame
President Paul Kagame, while officiating at the opening of the three-day 'Command Post Exercise Africa UNiTE II,’ on August 18, challenged governments and security institutions in Africa to make the issue of gender based violence a top priority if the scourge is to be comprehensively approached and responded to effectively.
The Head of State made the remarks on August 18 while officiating at the opening of the ‘Command Post Exercise Africa UNiTE II,’ at the Rwanda National Police General Headquarters in Kacyiru.
The second edition of the Exercise held at the Rwanda National Police General Headquarters in Kacyiru, is registered in the framework of Kigali International Conference Declaration (KICD).
It brought together 103 participants from 30 African countries under the theme: “Africa Security Organs’ Synergy to End Violence against Women and Girls.”
Participants included military, police and prisons officers.
“The only way to think about GBV is as a violation of rights, crime and indeed a threat to progress in Africa and around the world,” President Kagame said.
The Head of State said this kind of abuse is “completely unacceptable,”
“Women are our mothers, daughters, wives. What debate is there in treating them as decent as they should? Violence against women and girls not only harms the victims, but also impacts negatively on the wellbeing of their families and communities."
“The equality of women is a cornerstone of our democracy. Therefore we have to work together in Rwanda, and globally to end these crimes. It requires more than words to protect women and girls from violence. Perpetuators must be held accountable and those who protect them must be shamed.”
The Head of State said that Rwanda’s security and defence forces have earned the respect and trust of Rwandans for restoring peace and stability while respecting and enhancing the dignity of each citizen they serve, including women.
He said that there must be will, determination and values within all ranks to guide correct and professional conducts both at national and international peace operations, and to act without fear or favor.
He challenged participants to turn the theory into real practice. Read more
Rwanda, Kenya Police institutions sign cooperation pact
Rwanda National Police (RNP) and Kenya National Police Service have signed a memorandum of understanding to formalize their cooperation against cross-border crimes.
The agreement was signed on August 21 in Naivasha, Nairobi between the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Emmanuel K. Gasana and his counterpart of Kenya, Joseph K. Boinnet.
This was on the sideline of 15th meeting of the ministers responsible for Police in the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organization (EAPCCO) member countries.
The event was witnessed by Kenya’s Cabinet secretary for Interior and coordination, Hon. Joseph Ole Nkaiserry and Rwanda’s Ambassador to Kenya, James Kimonyo.
Under this special partnership, the two Police institutions agreed to join forces in areas of planning, coordination and execution of join operations against transnational crimes like terrorism and drug trafficking among others.
The two friendly forces will also share relevant information and expertise through joint operations and training, mutual assistance, road safety operations, development and exchange of programmes.
They will also cooperate and exchange professional, career development and other specialized policing courses. Read more
Police reaches out to thousands of motorcyclists in countrywide anti-crime drive
In a bid to ensure public safety, Rwanda National Police, on August 15 conducted a countrywide awareness campaign among commercial motorcyclists to further bring them on board in community policing activities.
The exercise conducted co concurrently in all regions of the country also focused on sensitizing them on road traffic rules in an effort to improve road safety.
While speaking to over 600 motorcycle taxi operators operating in Huye District, the DPC Superintendent Jules Rutayisire urged them to always be vigilant not to facilitate criminality by transporting wrongdoers or illegal goods like illicit drugs.
“One way to abide by traffic rules is to ensure that you carry one passenger at a time, own a driver's licence, insurance, wear a helmet and a reflector jacket," Supt. Rutayisire told the motorcyclists
"In case you suspect either you colleague or a passenger of being involved in a crime, report to the police immediately because ensuring safety and security should also be your concern like any patriotic Rwandan," he added.
In Muhanga District, Police reached out to the disadvantaged aspiring commercial motorcyclist, Abdullah Nshimiyimana and pledged to meet his costs to acquire a driver's licence.
Nshimiyimana had passed all the theory and practical driving tests but failed to get money to register and process his licence.
The Western region police spokesperson Theobald Kanamugire, said that police focused its sensitization campaign on road safety and crime prevention.
While In the Eastern Province meetings that were held in all districts also included sanitation and and hygiene. Read more
Pharmaceuticals smuggler arrested, attempts to bribe police
Police in Nyagatare District, on August 17, arrested Robert Kashaija, a 24 years attempting to smuggle pharmaceutical products into Rwanda.
Upon his arrest, Kashaija attempted to bribe the officer on duty to release him.
According to the Eastern Region Police spokesperson, Inspector of Police, Emmanuel Kayigi, the suspect was arrested with 45 cartons of Lumartem, a an anti-malarial drug, which he had sneaked I to the country through illegal channels.
“Upon his arrest, the suspect tried to bribe an officer with Rwf30, 000 to release him, but the officer acted professionally and arrested him. Attempting to bribe the officer attracts another crime,” said Kayigi.
He warned that smuggling pharmaceuticals products is a very dangerous dealing that may have a big effect to people's health. Read more
How Police saved a homeless pregnant mother of four
Immaculate Kankindi, 25, would have delivered her fourth child by the roadside or most probably lost her life and her baby had it not been for a police officer who saw her struggling with labor pains along the street in Kigali and rushed her to hospital.
Her husband had abandoned her months back while her family kept insisting that she should go back to her spouse – a situation that left her life-ruined and in dilemma yet she was expecting.
The damning situation made her get stuck between Nyagatare District where she lived with her husband and children, and Rulindo District where her relatives live.
On August 14 at night, Kankindi was found by a police officer on duty around Kinamba, found her in labor and immediately rushed her to Kacyiru Police Hospital.
Kankindi gave birth to a baby boy few hours with the help of doctors.
Together with her children, Kankindi has since been getting all services and sheltered at the hospital, including footing all the medical bills. Read more
Teen girl rescued from suspected human traffickers, two arrested
On Tuesday August 18, Police at Kagitumba border post in Nyagatare District, arrested two people as they attempted to traffic a 19 year-old girl to Uganda.
The suspects - Nadia Ingabire, 30, and Theogene Mutabazi, 38 - were stopped by Police officers at The border post, together with the victim, whom they had apparently coerced into traveling without informing her parents.
She had been connected to Mutabazi by Ingabire
“The two suspects planned to help each other out; whereby Mutabazi would assist Ingabire to locate the whereabouts of her husband who had abandoned his family and left for Uganda, while she would in turn find him a suitable young wife,” IP Emmanuel Kayigi, Police spokesperson for the Eastern region, said.
The victim has since been reunited with her parents. Read more
Overcoming fire outbreak requires to be responsible - Police
Acting responsibly by abiding by the law, taking precautions and strong partnership through timely information sharing can prevent and respond to incidences of wildfires that tend to rise especially in the dry season, Police has said.
A case in point happened on August 19, when in Munyaga Sector of Rwamagana District, a ten year-old boy, negligently, started a fire that spread and destroyed part of a forest.
Police was quick to respond with the support of local residents, and managed to contain it.
A similar case happened in Mahama Sector in Kirehe District where wildfire destroyed at least ten hectares of the forest.
The Police Spokesperson for Eastern Province, Inspector of Police (IP) Emmanuel Kayigi, asserts that overcoming such wildfires requires strong partnership between residents and security organs, through early detection and timely provision of information, which enables the deployment of skilled police firefighters.
“Some cattle keepers in the districts of Nyagatare and Gatsibo still have negative mentality that they have to set their farms ablaze towards the end of the dry season so that when it rains, new grass will grow and good for livestock. In most cases, these fires spread to nearby farms and forests. This mentality must, therefore, stop because it’s illegal and pose danger to the environment,” he said.
IP Kayigi further appealed to the general population to always be quick to inform Police by calling toll free lines 111 and 112 or 0788311120, in case of fire outbreak for quick response. Read more
Northern Province security meeting centers on crime prevention mechanism
The Governor of Northern Province, Aime Bosenibamwe urged security organs to reinforce community policing mechanisms which have proved inevitable to further promote public safety and security.
The Governor delivered the message on August 21, during a provincial meeting held in Rulindo District and brought together several security entities like Rwanda National Police, administrative security organ (DASSO) and Community Policing Committees.
It was also attended by local leaders DPCs and police station commanders.
Governor Bosenibamwe said coomunity policing has registered much success in terms of crime detection, prevention.
“Community policing gives citizens more control over the quality of life in their community. It also helps police to become part of the neighborhood and get a better sense of resident's needs, while also developing greater trust for each other,” he said.
“Without the trust and involvement of the community, maintaining security and safety is difficult. Therefore, through community policing, it is everyone’s responsibility to safeguard the welfare of their neighborhood.” Read more
