The Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Operations, (DIGP) Dan Munyuza, on August 22, briefed a contingent of 140 Police officers set to be deployed for a one-year peacekeeping mission under the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) mandate.
The Formed Police Unit (FPU) contingent, which will be the eighth National Police rotation in the Caribbean nation, is headed by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Yahaya Kamunuga as its commander and includes 20 female.
They will replace Rwanda FPU7 commanded by ACP Faustin Ntirushwa that was deployed in July last year and scheduled to return home after successfully executing their peacekeeping mandate and awarded UN service medal.
During the pre-deployment briefing at the RNP headquarters in Kacyiru, DIGP Munyuza challenged the officers to maintain maximum discipline since they will be representing the image of Rwanda while the whole world will be looking at them.
“You have been well prepared for the mission but during your tour of duty, you are required to exhibit the highest level of integrity. Ensure that in the one year of duty your of your motherland, you serve to the best of your ability and with maximum discipline,” said DIGP Munyuza.
He also briefed the officers on their role in preserving Rwanda’s image saying that; “Rwanda’s exceptionality has been achieved through joint efforts including your fellow officers who have effectively served in peacekeeping missions. You also need to uphold these achievements.
”The Deputy Police Chief further urged them to cooperate with and learn from other peacekeepers’ experience adding that “learning is continuous.”
The deployment of RWAFPU8 contingent will bring the number of RNP officers who have served in Haiti under FPU since the maiden deployment in 2010, to 1120.
RNP is also expected to deploy another contingent to South Sudan in September which will bring the number of RNP FPUs in UN missions to six.
Rwanda is the third largest Police contributing country globally after Senegal and Bangladesh respectively but second largest female contributor but may raise in the ranking after the deployment of an all female contingent that is set to be dispatched soon.
Currently, RNP maintains about 1000 police peacekeepers in various missions with 820 of them organized in five contingents under Formed Police Units. Others are Individual Police Officers (IPOs), who work as advisors, mentors, and trainers.
The Express News
