Rwanda National Police

Residents of Rutsiro District have been urged to uphold the culture of equality and strongly fight against Gender Based Violence (GBV) and other crimes like drug abuse and human trafficking which mainly affect children, the youth and women.

The message was delivered by Rwanda National Police (RNP) on July 7 during the tour of the Mobile Police Station Vehicle, which provided services to hundreds of Rutsiro Residents, who presented their claims and reports to police for investigation.

Most of their complaints revolved around asset ownership, family wrangles, theft, poor services from local leaders, gender based violence, family neglect, and many others.

The Mobile Station Service Vehicle is reserved for citizens residing or working in places located far away from police stations, with a mobile vehicle periodically traversing remote villages looking for residents who wish to file complaints or report injustices.

After its tour in Rutsiro, police engaged the residents in fruitful discussions, calling them to protect the women and children by providing timely reports whenever a case of injustice against them occurs or is suspected.

“As Rwandans, we should all be guided by virtues of patriotism, which also requires us to protect the vulnerable people who susceptible to violence and crime,” Superintendent Beline Mukamana, the Director for Anti-Gender-Based Violence and Child Abuse Directorate at RNP said.

“As a community, you should regularly conduct drugs prevention programs and strengthen partnership with law enforcers through the provision of timely information to apprehend criminals.”

The Vice Mayor of Rutsiro in charge of Economic Affairs, Jean Damascène Nsanzimfura commended RNP for availing its services to the public at all times and reminded residents to always partner with law enforcers in crime prevention through community policing.

“Everyone in Rwanda can now see the facts for themselves; community policing through partnership with police has advanced strategies to collectively fight crime and sustain the security we enjoy every day. Let us be alert and collectively prevent GBV, which sometimes crops up and distablises the peace that we enjoy,” he said.

A representative of Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) Remy Duhuze, noted that Rutsiro is a strong mining district – which calls for more vigilance against illegal mining and protection of the environment.

One of the residents in the area, Jean de Dieu Mbamubanzi praised RNP for extending core services through the Police Mobile Station Vehicle, through and he is hopeful that police will fully investigate the case file he had presented.

The Police Mobile Station Vehicle service was first rolled out in Bugesera and Kamonyi District in January 2015 and since then, the vehicles have served thousands of citizens in the countryside.