Rwanda National Police

A Command Post Exercise (CPX) on disaster response bringing together officers from Rwanda and Uganda Police forces opened on May 25 at the Rwanda Police Training School (PTS) Gishari as the two friendly institutions move to test and improve their joint capabilities in emergency response operations.

 The four-day exercise code-named ‘Save Life’ is the first of its kind by the two neighboring forces and brings together 30 participants to test their preparedness and response to humanitarian crisis with focus on readiness, joint contingency plans, sharing of information, experience and technical expertise.

 Each institution has 15 participants.

 While officiating at the opening of the exercise, Rwanda’s Minister for Disaster Preparedness and Refugee Affairs, Seraphine Mukantabana lauded the “unique cooperation” the two sister police forces enjoy calling it a “very good sign that citizens of both countries are safe as long as our law enforcers are working together.”

 “Both our leaders – Presidents – have recommended cooperation as the only way to realize development, not only for our two countries but for the entire region, Africa and the world,” Minister Mukantabana said, quoting President Paul Kagame where he said that “Our collective aspirations are to improve the livelihoods of our people. We can achieve this more effectively if we  pull together our resources"

 “Response to emergencies and disasters is one of the mandate of every police force, every institution. This kind of cooperation and joint training gives meaning to our governments as it dictates unity of purpose and reflect the aspirations of our police institutions to come together during humanitarian crisis.”

 “Sharing experience and knowledge of disaster cases is indispensable in effective disaster management,” she noted, urging participants to take the exercise seriously to attain its objectives.

 Other areas that will be exhausted include refugee reception and screening, medical response, rescue and evaluation, communication and disaster management.

 It also seeks to test the understanding and management of asymmetrical threats like terrorism, organized crimes, human trafficking and gender based violence.

 Under this exercise that was agreed upon in last February by the two IGPs; Emmanuel K. Gasana of Rwanda and Gen. Kale Kayihura of Uganda, it means that if a disaster or humanitarian crisis occurred in either country, the other will also engage in response.

 Uganda’s High Commissioner to Rwanda, Charles Kabonero said the exercise comes at the time when disasters have become constant threat to the security and safety of our citizens.

 He singled out terrorist attacks that happened in Kampala (78 people killed in 2010), Garrisa (148 killed at the University) and Nairobi in Kenya, and Ebola epidemics in West Africa, floods and volcanic eruptions, which require such jointness.

 “You, in law enforcement, are normally the first responders to disasters; you are the first to arrive and the last to leave. These tasks call for preparedness and planning including assessment of capabilities, mobilization, command and control. We may have the resources but if we don't coordinate, we will have disasters on our hands.”

 He thanked the government of Rwanda and RNP in particular for hosting this exercise and commended the tireless efforts by IGP Gasana in “making sure that our law enforcement personnel coordinate and acquire necessary skills.”

 “We all know the role you played as the chair of the regional body – EAPCCO – and during the time as Africa’s representative on the Interpol committee.”

 IGP Gasana observed that bodies like the EAC, Northern Corridor Integration Projects (NCIP), EAPCCO or Interpol are all in place to assist in working together to combat crime, but added that what works most is bilateral cooperation which breaks bureaucracies in order to implement what is agreed upon, in the shortest time possible.

 “Today, our region faces a serious problem of refugee influx, many types of disasters, terrorist attacks by Al shabaab, FDLR (Rwanda’s genocidaire forces in DR. Congo). These threats pose a grave danger and challenges to our region, which make cooperation and coordination always wanting.”

 He thanked his Ugandan counterpart for “walking the talk” adding that it shows the seriousness and value attached to the meaning of the existing partnership.

 The two forces enjoy a unique partnership especially in responding to cross-border crimes.

 In January this year, RNP handed to Uganda Police about Rwf8.5 million which was stolen and recovered in Rwanda. Uganda Police officers have also attained training from Rwanda including those who have attended the three Senior Command and Staff Course intakes at the National Police College (NPC) in Musanze District.

 With the help of Interpol Kampala, about 20 Rwandan girls, who are victims of human trafficking have been rescued since 2012 while a Ugandan girl was intercepted last year at Kigali international airport as she was being trafficked to Dubai.

 Since the beginning of this year, Uganda has also deported two fugitives; Jean Paul Birindabagabo, a genocide fugitive and Hassan Murasira, who was wanted for coning a man with US$27000 after selling him fake gold.

 Uganda Police also recovered 13 cows in the south Western district of Ntungamo which had been stolen from a farmer in Nyagatare district.

The two forces have continued to pledge commitment to strengthen cooperation towards safety and security of the people they serve.