Kinyarwanda
English
Some 191 officers attending a three-month Station Commanders’ course at the Counter-Terrorism Training Centre (CTTC) in Mayange, Bugesera District, on Friday, March 20, conducted a study tour of key historical and institutional sites as part of their professional development.
The officers, who include 171 from the Rwanda National Police (RNP), 10 from the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB), and 10 allied students from the Liberia National Police, visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial, the Museum for Campaign Against Genocide, and the Police Command and Coordination Center (CCC).
The study tour is designed to enhance leadership capacity, professionalism, and ethical grounding among officers preparing to further support national security, strengthen community trust, and contribute to long-term peace.
It also enables participants to connect with Rwanda’s history and cultural heritage, deepening their understanding of national identity and the importance of preserving historical memory.
Speaking on the significance of the tour, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Methode Munyaneza, the CTTC Chief Instructor, noted that the initiative helps officers better understand Rwanda’s history, particularly the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, through direct engagement with memorial sites.
“Through this experience, officers gain the knowledge and awareness needed to prevent and respond effectively to such tragedies, recognizing that one cannot combat what they do not fully understand.”
He further highlighted that the tour draws important lessons from the resilience and sacrifice of those who liberated the country, encouraging officers to apply the same dedication in their daily duties while bridging the gap between classroom learning and practical responsibilities.
“It also inspires officers to emulate the resilience of those who liberated the country, while linking theoretical knowledge with real-world policing challenges.”
At the Police Command and Coordination Center, the officers were received by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Elie Mberabagabo, who provided insights into the role of advanced technology and digital systems in enhancing real-time coordination, improving operational efficiency, and strengthening modern policing capabilities.
Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Agatha Nyenohdoe Toe, an allied student from Liberia, emphasized the devastating consequences of hatred that fueled the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, reaffirming her commitment to combating hatred in all its forms.
She also commended the organizational structure and effective use of technology within the Rwanda National Police, noting that these are valuable lessons she intends to share with her colleagues upon returning home.
During the visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial, officers were taken through a detailed and reflective account of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, gaining deeper understanding of its causes, consequences, and the resilience demonstrated by survivors.
At the Museum for Campaign against Genocide, they learned about the decisive role of the Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA) in ending the massacres and liberating the country, as well as how these efforts laid the foundation for Rwanda’s current security architecture and its ongoing transformation journey toward stability and sustainable development.
