Police High Council outlines priorities

Police high council, The Rwanda National Police (RNP) supreme organ, convened yesterday at the General Headquarters in Kacyiru and laid out a list of priorities to be under taken priorities that are to further professionalise the Force in light of the evolving policing landscape. The Council was chaired by the Minister for Justice and Attorney General, Johnston Busingye. The priorities include building capacity and capabilities through training; fighting, preventing and investigating crime, ensuring road safety, compliance with the law; and service delivery. Others include strengthening partnerships both locally and across borders, discipline and welfare. The Police High Council, that convenes quarterly, was also attended and addressed by ministers; Francine Tumushime of Lands and Forestry (who witnessed the signing of an 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. Minister of Justice Johnston Busingye addressing the Police High Council, yesterday. 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 the result of the service of every man and woman in the Force. “This should be a platform to assess and take concrete measures to further ensure that the safety of people and their property continues to improve, and guaranteed even in the future,” Minister Busingye said. He emphasised “compliance with the law” noting that “nobody is above the law; be it a Rwandan or foreigner in Rwanda, we all follow the law and your role as the Police is to ensure that everyone is compliant.” He observed that security is no longer seen in protecting people and their property alone. Security is determined by how people live, food security, environmental protection, health and protection of 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 to supporting and equipping the Force to achieve its mandate. Mukeshimana, said that security organs have played a great role in supplementing the agriculture sector through supporting farmers, including the recent eradication of armyworms. Minister of Gender and Family Promotion Esperance Nyirasafari addressing the Police High Council. 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. Kaboneka said that “strengthening community policing is one of the essential strategies in achieving our aspirations.” Nyarasafari, meanwhile, addressed the council on partnership in fighting GBV and child protection, saying despite the achievements registered so far, there remains challenges that women and children still face, which should be given more attention. IGP Gasana said that the changing policing landscape tasks the Force adopt new and advanced skills and equipment to facilitate police operations. Police officers attending the High Council. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Police High Council outlines priorities