Rwanda National Police

Rwanda National Police (RNP) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Rwanda Cooperative Agency (RCA) and the National Cooperatives Confederation of Rwanda (NCCR).

RCA is a public institution regulating and promoting economic, social and other activities of the general interest while NCCR was established to promote workers' cooperatives through capacity development.

Their partnership with RNP will promote capacity building of cooperatives in areas related to security and sharing of relevant information related to the protection of cooperatives operating in the country.

The agreement was signed on October 27 between the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Emmanuel K. Gasana on behalf of RNP, Damien Mugabo the Director General of RCA and Augustin Katabarwa, the Chairman of NCCR.

In his remarks, IGP Gasana commended the partnership, noting that it will be beneficial in ensuring accountability, transparency of cooperatives, as well as provide a safe and crime-free environment for their activities.

“As part of implementation of this partnership, RNP commits itself to build the capacity of cooperatives in areas related to security of members and properties, as well as ensure that regulations are respected. This will help cooperatives to execute their responsibilities in a stable and safe environment,” he said.

“We all know that, there can be no development without security and peace. That is why institutional partnerships are important in the advancement of fruitful collaboration that focuses on the national vision of peace, unity and economic development.”

According to Mugabo, responsibilities of RCA under the agreement will range from setting up mechanisms to ensure that cooperative members abide by law and order, as well as monitor and fight crimes that may engulf cooperatives.

“We will ensure that we provide information from time to time related to cooperative audits, behavior of members in accordance to national laws, as well as conduct frequent training and sensitizations deemed necessary in the advancement of security,” he said.

On the side of RCCA, Katabarwa noted that the confederation will primarily identify training gaps within cooperative members, as well as mobilise sensitization campaigns that teach members about the need for security.

“We shall partner with RNP and RCA to arrange important trainings and also encourage cooperative members to abide by national laws and regulations to ensure a  conducive working environment,” he said.

The agreement is also in light of the government’s policy that encourages Rwandans to engage their activities through cooperatives and to promote self-reliance that will eventually help to attain the country’s sustainable development goals. 

It is  a known fact that some cooperatives loss a lot of money through embezzlement and mismanagement of cooperative resources and this what police intends to stop in the implementation of the MOU.

Police will also see to it that it provides security advisory  to cooperatives and their employees, under the MoU, to ensure that they fully appreciate the need to follow national laws whenever they face a dispute or a situation of insecurity.

This fits very well in the community policing framework and will facilitated information sharing 

Cooperation remains among the RNP priorities in pursuit for collective security, and is credited as a major tool in community policing and crime prevention.