Rwanda National Police

Rwanda Youth Volunteers in Community Policing (RYVCP) on Friday, launched a campaign against narcotic drugs, especially targeting the young people.

The youth account for majority 70 percent of people said to be involved in drug related crimes; either as abusers--market--or as dealers.

The official launch was held in Nyarugenge Districts and attended by local authorities, security organs, the youth especially students, among others.

The Vice Mayor of Nyarugenge in charge of Social Affairs, Jean Marie Vianney Ndayisenga, while speaking at the event held at Kimisagara Youth Centre emphasized that "fighting drugs starts from an individual level and commitment to desist attempts and report dealers." 

The campaign by the young organisation comes to reinforce the ongoing national efforts that seeks to prevent new abusers to kill the market, identify and rehabilitate those addicted and collectively fight drug trafficking.

The vice mayor commended the role of RYVCP in community policing and human security activities.

The human security activities for RYVCP conducted between 2013 when it was formed, and 2017 are valued at over Rwf630 million.

The activities include construction and renovation of houses and toilets for the vulnerable families, donating livestock, constructing roads and bridges, and planting trees, among many others.

Their membership has also grown from less that 400 when they started to more than 260, 000 currently.

“The country can't achieve its set objectives when the youth are being drained by substances," Ndayisenga told the youth. "The government is investing in youth through education, health including rehabilitation, setting aside youth development programmes and equipping you with technical and vocational skills."

He urged them as well as the general public to be at the forefront to report people they suspect to be involved in selling narcotics so as to be arrested to face justice and to "save the young generation and the future of the country."

Abdallah Murenzi, the National Coordinator of RYVCP, said that their focus is to make "significant impact in communities" in relation to security and development.

He said the campaign will also tackle issues related to hygiene and sanitation, protect the environment through which they plan to plant at least 300, 000 trees in different parts of the country.

Senior Supt. Vita Hamza, the Director of Disaster Management in Community Policing, highlighted; assault, theft, rape and defilement as series of crimes fueled by abusing drugs.

In his testimony, Elly Cyubahiro, one of the rehabilitated youth, said that the turning point helped him switch to income generating activities.

Cyubahiro, who has helped about other 30 young people from abusing drugs, jointly runs a decoration business.