Rwanda National Police

Residents of Agatare Village in Kansi Sector, Gisagara District held a community policing day on Wednesday to celebrate the impact of people-centre policing on their security and the social wellbeing.

Canisius Kuramba, Agatare Village Chief said that the partnership with the Police has impacted on their lives in line with human security as empowered Rwandans in community policing.

“Elderly people in this village will tell you how security organs were feared in the past. Residents of Agatare organized this day mainly as a show of commitment to community policing and to celebrate what they have achieved through this partnership with the Police,” Kuramba said.

During the 2019 activities to mark the 19th anniversary of Rwanda National Police (RNP), the force lit more than 100 households of Agatare Village with solar energy and medical insurance cover for hundreds of residents.

The 2019 Police Month was held under the theme: “19 years of partnership in policing towards sustainable safety and better livelihood for communities.”

Aureria Mukanyangezi, one of the residents of Agatare thanked RNP for lighting her house with solar energy, which has helped her children to revise at night and to excel in school.

Justine Niyoncungu, a form six student at Ringanwe Primary School recalled how she used to perform poorly at school because she had no means to revise her books at night.

“Before our house was lit with solar energy, I was performing below average… my best performance was 280 marks out of 600; in the last term of the 2019 academic year, I excelled with 487 marks out of 600,” said Niyoncungu.

Agatare village is composed of 138 households. However, Gisagara District Police Commander (DPC) Superintendent of Police (SP) John Niyibizi pledged that RNP will connect the remaining 38 households with solar panels.

The DPC reminded the residents to work hard to develop themselves, preserve what they have achieved and thanked them for their responsiveness against crimes.

“If you suspect anyone to be engaged in criminal acts like drug dealers, child abuse and particularly on teenage pregnancy, theft and other unlawful acts,” SP Niyibizi said.

Jean Paul Habineza, the vice mayor of Gisagara in charge of finance and economic development, reminded the residents to repay the favour by giving no room for wrongdoers and working together in development activities.

During the 2019 Police Month outreach activities RNP constructed 30 houses for the disadvantaged families (one in each district) and six Village offices. The residential and village offices were also installed with solar energy.

RNP also connected other 3, 000 households that are far from the national grid, with solar energy, paid annual medical insurance premium (Mutuelle de Santé) for 3, 000 people country-wide and more than 1000 Police officers donated blood to boost the national blood bank.

The annual month-long community development activities are aimed at supporting communities and to cement the people-centered policing—a community policing methodology— supplementing the national development agenda and raising awareness against high impact crimes.