The Rwanda National Police (RNP) supreme organ – Police High Council – convened yesterday at the General Headquarters in Kacyiru and set priorities that are meant to further professionalise the force in awake of the evolving policing landscape and to effectively combat crime.
The Council was chaired by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Johnston Busingye in his capacity as the Minister in charge of Police.
The priorities include building capacity and capabilities through training, fighting, preventing and investigating crime; compliance with the law and service delivery.
Others include strengthening partnership both locally and cross-border, force discipline and welfare, which all facilitate professionalization of the force.
The Police High Council that convenes quarterly, was also attended and addressed by ministers; Francine Tumushimire of Lands and Forestry, who witnessed the signing of MoU between her ministry and RNP on forestry conservation; Francis Kaboneka of Local Government, Esperance Nyirasafari of Gender and Family Promotion, and Geraldine Mukeshimana of Agriculture.
Present was also the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Emmanuel K. Gasana, and Deputy IGPs; Dan Munyuza of Operations, and Juvenal Marizamunda of Administration and Personnel.
Minister Busingye observed that the success of the force in ensuring homeland security is a result of the service of every man and woman in the force to translate the guidance into action.
“This should be a platform to assess and take concrete measures to further ensure that the safety of people and their proper continues to improve, and guaranteed even in the future,” Minister Busingye said.
He also emphasized “compliance with the law” noting that “nobody is above the law; be it a Rwandan or foreigners in Rwanda, we all follow the law and your role as the Police is to ensure that everyone is compliant.”
“Security is no longer seen in protecting people and their property alone; security is determined by way of how people live, food security, environmental protection, health and protecting rights of all groups, among others, and this is achieved through joint effort,” he said.
He noted that training, discipline and service delivery are the basis for Police professionalism, and pledged the government’s commitment in supporting and equipping the force to achieve its mandate.
Minister Mukeshimana, who spoke on “partnership to enhance food security”, said that security organs have played a great role in supplementing the agriculture sector through supporting farmers, including the recent eradication of armyworms.
She, however, called for partnership on “strict control of movement of livestock” to prevent spread of animal diseases.
In the last four months alone, Minister Mukeshimana said, the government lost Rwf5 billion in the Eastern Province alone due to foot and mouth disease, and other diseases that affected the agriculture sector.
She also hinted on the theft of fertilizers and seeds, which are either smuggled across borders or sold locally at higher prices, as the area of concern that should be given much attention.
The agriculture account for 33 percent of the country’s GDP, and employs at least 69 percent of the total labour force. It also accounts for about 90 percent of the national food needs.
Minister Kaboneka, who talked about “Police partnership to enhance good governance,” said that “strengthening community policing is one of the essential strategies in achieving our aspirations.”
Minister of Gender and Family Promotion Esperance Nyirasafari addressing the Police High Council.
Minister Nyarasafari, who addressed the council on partnership in fighting GBV and Child Protection, said that despite the achievements registered so far, there still remain challenges that women and children still face, which should be given much attention.
Addressing GBV, child pregnancy, road safety as well as policing the festive season, also transpired among the priorities of the Council.
She thanked officers for their relentless commitment to promote the HeForShe campaign, and advancing the principles of gender equality.
IGP Gasana said that the changing policing landscape tasks the force adopt new and advanced skills and equipment to facilitate both locally and abroad especially in peacekeeping missions.
Rwanda currently maintains over 1000 Police officers in different UN missions, including seven Formed Police Unit (FPU) contingents.
The Council brought together close to 500 officers including commissioners heading various departments, commanders of units, regional and district commanders, seniors and junior officers as well as representatives of Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) from all territorial and specialized police units.
Police officers attending the High Council.
The supreme organ of RNP that sits quarterly reviews the security and administrative status and take further decisions to respond to the existing challenges and improve on the welfare of the officers.
The Express News
