Author: IGIHE

The country’s Kwibohora journey also required restructuring and building a strong and proactive security system.

Prior to and immediately after the Rwandan Patriotic Front and Army (RPF/A) liberated Rwanda on 4th July 1994, Rwanda had several Para-military and Civil defense forces entrusted to keep law and order.

These included the Gendarmerie Nationale under the Defense ministry, the Communal Police under the Ministry of Interior and the Judicial Police Inspectors under the Ministry of Justice.

In the year 2000, the Government of Rwanda thought it wise to have an organized, well-coordinated and professional police force that would effectively deal with security challenges that were relatively high at the time.

This led to the merger of the three institutions in June 2000, which had the Policing and law and order functions at the time, forming the Rwanda National Police (RNP).

The RNP as a proactive force is built on the core values of professionalism, patriotism, integrity and high level of discipline. When RNP came into being on June 16, 2000, its first priority in Kwibohora journey was to consolidate safety and security, which had been lacking under the previous governments culminating into the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

To do this, so much investment was made in promoting the values of selfless service, professionalism and efficiency in overcoming crime and enabling a safe environment;

{{Community policing}}

The last 20 years have defined the meaning of partnership in policing. The current safety and security as determined by local, regional and international reports that have placed Rwanda as one of the safest countries globally, is partly attributed to this valuable partnership between RNP and other public and private institutions under the grand and visionary leadership.

The RNP Community Policing approach is hinged on the core values of: Justice and respect for human rights, gender sensitivity, Integrity, teamwork, openness, accountability, partnership and a community relations focus, professional conduct, efficiency and effectiveness.

Since the year 2000 when it was created, RNP has opened communication channels with the public including regular social media interactions, electronic and print publications, toll-free telephone lines for emergencies, the formation of groups of active community policing partners that include over 300, 000 Youth Volunteers in Community Policing, Anti-crime Ambassadors, 174,000 members of Community Policing Committees (CPCs), over 2000 Anti-crime clubs in schools, transport associations, media fraternity, artists, faith based organizations as well as government and private institutions that have signed MoUs with RNP.

The RNP strongly believe that enhanced citizen participation in maintaining security as well as getting involved in human security initiatives lays a strong foundation that help to strengthen partnerships in crime prevention, support social programmes and support national efforts towards sustainable development.

{{Human Security}}

The factor of human security lies at the centre of the RNP proactive policing over the last 20 years of dedicated service to the people. This involved reaching out to the disadvantaged families with heifer, shelter, medical insurance premiums, connecting over 10000 households that are far from the national grid with solar power system; access to clean water, creating and renovating feeder roads connecting communities, environmental protection and hygiene activities, among others.

The annual month-long community development activities—Police Month–focuses on this human security factor to support communities, uplift lives and cement the people-centered policing—a community policing methodology—and raising awareness against high impact crimes.

These human security practices are designed in line with the Liberation journey and to ensure the responsiveness of everyone in fighting and preventing crime, improving the welfare of the people and a way of dealing with the root-cause of crime.

While presiding over the 17th Police Day anniversary, His Excellency Paul Kagame, the President of the Republic of Rwanda, said: “The Police cannot succeed when working alone but it can achieve its goals when working in collaboration with citizens.”

{{Policing in a globalized world}}

In order to effectively ensure the safety of people and their property; training, acquiring modern policing equipment, face-lifting the infrastructure, improving the welfare of police officers; embracing technology in policing, gender equality, peacekeeping; all these were prioritized to ensure sustainable security as a foundation to the liberation of the economy and development.

The National Police College (NPC), Police Training School (PTS) Gishari and the Counter-Terrorism Training Centre (CTTC) Mayange are at the heart of career and professional training and building a disciplined and professionalized police force.

{{Peacekeeping}}

Participation in Peace Support Operations (PSOs) is Rwanda’s principled decision with roots in the country’s tragic experience of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

The first Rwanda National Police (RNP) Peace Keeping Mission was deployed in 2005 when police officers were deployed to the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) later to be renamed United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID).

Over the last 15 years, more than 7700 Rwanda Police officers have participated in peacekeeping duties across the globe, of which over 1,400 are women.

Participation in peacekeeping is Rwanda’s moral obligation to prevent similar Genocide tragedy from happening elsewhere and was passionate about protection of lives in conflict affected areas.

Today, Rwanda is the second-largest Police contributing country to UN Peace Support Operations with over 1,000 officers deployed to different missions.

Rwandan Police Officers are deployed in South Sudan (UNMISS), Central African Republic (MINUSCA), Darfur (UNAMID) Haiti (BINUH) and Abyei (UNSFA).

Over the last 15 years of peacekeeping journey, RNP have also participated in restoring peace and security in Ivory Coast, Mali, Liberia and deployment of FPUs in Haiti; Police Professional staff in the United Nations Headquarters in New York as well as heading the Police components (Police Commissioner) in Ivory Coast (UNOCI) and South Sudan (UNMISS).

{{RNP Emergency lines}}

110: Maritime

111: Fire and Rescue

112: Emergency

113: Traffic Accidents

118: Traffic Police Queries

997: Anti-Corruption

3511: Abuse by Police Officer

{{WhatsApp:}} 0788311155

{{Twitter: }} @Rwandapolice

{{YouTube:}} Rwanda Police

{{Facebook:}} Rwanda National Police

{{Instagram:}} Rwanda National Police

Ecobank Group Chairman Emmanuel Ikazoboh said: “We are in the final lap of our five-year ‘Roadmap to Leadership’, having laid and achieved much improved business and operational foundations, leadership in digital products with scalability, strong corporate governance and continued expense discipline. We continue to focus on making substantial strides towards ensuring a return on equity above the cost of capital across the Group despite the challenging economic conditions especially with the COVID-19, whilst also maintaining our commitment to driving economic development and financial integration across Africa. This was my last AGM, as I have now completed my tenure as director and Chairman. As I retire, it has been a privilege for me to have served this great institution and I am particularly proud of what we have achieved. I am further assured and confident that my able successor as Chairman, Mr. Alain Nkontchou will continue to lead the Board in our journey to leadership. The world has its eyes on Africa, and we are positioning our Bank in a way that continues to ensure its commitment to, and development of the continent. I will remain a strong ambassador of this great institution and its ideals”.

Ade Ayeyemi, Chief Executive Officer of Ecobank Group, said: “I must first and foremost, pay tribute to our outgoing Chairman, Mr. Emmanuel Ikazoboh, who has served the group diligently during his tenure. On behalf of Management, I extend our immense admiration for the invaluable stewardship, counsel, strategic expertise and oversight that he so willingly provided. I also seize the opportunity to congratulate and welcome on board our incoming Chairman Mr. Alain Nkontchou and look forward to working with him as he leads the Board. 2019 was a year of substantial progress for the Group on multiple fronts as we broadened our innovative product range with our upgraded core banking application platform, increased customer numbers, established new partnerships and initiated programmes to transform customer experience and embed the desired conduct, culture and ethics throughout the organisation. Each of our three business lines improved their profitability and positioned Ecobank for sustainable long-term success. Post-year end, the effectiveness of our digital ecosystem came into sharp focus amid the current global challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, enabling us to provide seamless continuity of service to our customers. The virus is having devastating effects and is causing severe disruption to families, businesses and economies across our sub-Saharan footprint and we continue to provide our unwavering support in these unprecedented and extremely challenging circumstances.”

Shareholders were pleased with ETI’s progress in 2019 and approved all the resolutions at the AGM, which included the election of two new directors – Professor Enase Okonedo and Mr. Simon Dornoo. Professor Enase Okonedo will replace Ms Arunma Oteh who has resigned from the Board.

Shareholders also ratified the co-option of Mr. Deepak Malik, a nominee of Arise B.V, Ms. Zanele Monnakgotla, a nominee of Public Investment Corporation and Dr. George Agyekum Donkor, the representative of Ecowas Bank for Investment & Development as directors,

The mandates of the firms – Deloitte & Touche, Nigeria, and Grant Thornton, Côte d’Ivoire as Joint Auditors were renewed.

The AGM was followed by an Extraordinary General Meeting at which Shareholders voted for the cancellation of the resolution on the consolidation of shares earlier approved on June 17, 2016.

Shareholders also voted for the amendment of Articles of ETI including a provision for the option of electronic general meetings going forward.

The commitment—detailed in a document called a Development Objective Grant Agreement (DOAG)—was signed at the offices of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning by USAID/Rwanda Mission Director Ms. Leslie Marbury and the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr. Uzziel Ndagijimana.

In partnership and alignment with the Government of Rwanda development priorities, the DOAG directly links to the three pillars of Rwanda’s National Strategy for Transformation 1: Economic Transformation, Social Transformation, and Transformational Governance. An integral part of the funding, as well as USAID’s long standing support to Rwanda, is support to help combat global pandemics like COVID-19 and support the economy from negative effects caused by pandemic-related disruptions.

“With this funding, the United States maintains its commitment to a strong and mutually beneficial partnership with Rwanda as it works to achieve its own goals,” said USAID’s Mission Director Leslie Marbury at the signing.

“This support to Rwanda by the United States Government will prioritize Health, education, private sector growth, and governance which are key areas of our National Strategy for Transformation (NST1). It is much relevant and equally important in implementation of our COVID-19 Socio-Economic Recovery Plan”. said Dr. Uzziel Ndagijimana, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning

USAID works closely with the government, civil society, the private sector, and communities to build on decades of progress and advance Rwanda’s self-reliance. The goal of the partnership is to strengthen human capital, foster a robust private sector, and build accountable institutions.

It was on June 30, 2009 in the evening hours that IGIHE officially launched operations after a year of preparations that had begun in 2008, starting with no much financing but only standing on great ideas.

As the years went by, the number of services provided increased, and the clientele base expanded as confidence and trust among the public bloomed. For the past 11 years, IGIHE has also been at the forefront of the online media.

It began when the use of the Internet was beginning to take root in the country, at a time when radio was the source of information, with only one television. There were few magazines and since they all printed, not everyone could afford to buy them.

IGIHE contributed to fostering a culture of reading in three languages: Kinyarwanda, English and French; mostly Kinyarwanda. With about 51% of Internet users in the country and still rising, it has been a privilege for us to have a large number of readers.

{{How IGIHE has expanded over the past 11 years}}

IGIHE’s journey over the past 11 years has been marked by progress in all corners; having started from almost nothing, with no operational place to today where it has expanded in service delivery.

Over the years, IGIHE has become a demonstration platform to hundreds of young people who have studied journalism and other talented people in the profession, allowing them to pretty show their potential and creativity, through internships and job creation.

IGIHE started with providing one media service, then gradually expanded its operations providing other IT services such as creating and managing websites, providing video production services, audio production and various other business activities. it all comes down to helping our customers marketing their businesses professionally.

For the past 11 years, IGIHE has been at the forefront of Rwanda’s most widely read online news, according to various collections. According to the International Bureau of Statistics, Alexa ranks IGIHE as the 2nd most visited website in Rwanda right after Google.com.

According to Rwandan newspapers, IGIHE is at the forefront in having the largest number of readers, with an average of 150,000 people a day, and often more than 200,000. This has been emphasized by the annual survey conducted by the National Governance Board, RGB, which has media development in its responsibilities; there Rwandans have voted for IGIHE four times in a row as the most popular online magazine.

{{We owe it all to you…}}

The birth of IGIHE and the steps it has already taken are all thanks to you, our readers and the various partners we work with. You are ones to encourage us to continue to work day in and day out by being appreciative of what we do and also sharing with us news of what is going on so that we can improve our services to you.

This 11th anniversary reminds us that we should not take for granted the trust you have placed in us since day one, and that we must continue to build on it to improve our work, and provide better services.

It also reminds us of our role in building a professional media in Rwanda and continuing to contribute to the development of our country, in line with our vision of becoming a market for information about Rwanda for Rwandans and foreigners, and broadening the boundaries of performance, insuring that everyone in the world has access to a reliable source of information for our country. Thank you for being with us on this ongoing journey.

Especially in these extraordinary times our country and the world as a whole are in, we wish you all the best, as we all follow the instructions given by the health authorities to help us continue to fight this COVID-19 pandemic.
{{Happy Anniversary to us all. Work continues!}}

{{{The retirees include 147 commissioned officers. At least 20 left active service on medical grounds.}}}

The official send-off function held at the RNP General Headquarters in Kacyiru, was presided over by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Johnston Busingye.

The event was also attended by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dan Munyuza, Deputy IGPs; Juvenal Marizamunda of Administration and Personnel and Felix Namuhoranye of Operations.

Forty retirees represented others in the special send-off event as part of the national guidelines to prevent mass gathering or congestion to avoid spreading the pandemic of COVID-19.

Minister Busingye thanked them for their contribution in the transformation of the country.

“We are gathered here today to celebrate and thank you for the good service to your country; the resilience and exemplary character that defined your committed service in providing security for your country,” Minister Busingye said.

He reminded them that they are just leaving active service but the country still needs them in many aspects of security and development.

“Retiring with dignity is a pride that others, who were not patient enough, did not achieve. Your being here today makes you heroes for your resilience and sticking to the national and Rwanda National Police values,”

The country and those they have left behind, the Minister said, will continue to sustain and build on what the retirees achieved. He urged them to always strive to preserve what they fought for even in their new life.

“You are now joining a wider family of Rwandans that you were part of but in other capacities. Continue to work with them to build a safer country,” Minister Busingye said, while wishing them a “better life ahead.”

IGP Munyuza thanked the retired officers for their “invaluable contribution” in the policing journey and building a professional force.

“You are leaving active service but your contribution to the country will continue in many other capacities. We worked together well, you served selflessly and you are leaving the RNP family with pride and dignity. Continue to be defined by that character even in your new life,” IGP Munyuza told the officers.

With majority of the senior officers who retired, having participated in the liberation and stopping the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, IGP Munyuza observed that they “stood for the values they fought for” throughout their service and “leaving with the dignity they so deserve.”

He, however, reminded them that serving the country is for both uniformed and non-uniformed Rwandans, urging them to continue to be mentors and opinion leaders to guide and support security and development matters in their respective communities.

“RNP will continue to count on you when there is need to tap from your experience in one way or another. Remember, policing is the way of life in this era and done by both uniformed and the ordinary citizens.”

He reminded them that discipline will always be key in all spheres of life and urged them to be defined by the same in the new life they have started, and always respect the law.

CP (rtd) Faustin Ntirushwa, who spoke on behalf of the retirees, thanked all those who played part and supported them to serve ably and to retire with pride.

“We thank our President, His Excellency Paul Kagame for his strategic guidance; he instilled in us the spirit of patriotism, self-respect and self-reliance; to think big and awake at all times to fight anything that attempts to destabilize the security and wellbeing of Rwandans,” Ntirushwa said.

He added: “These are among the things that guided us in service with the support of RNP leadership that gave us training, equipped us and cared for our welfare. We are happy to have served our country in all ways we could,” he added.

He thanked their families, fellow Police officers, the media and Rwandans in general for the support, and pledged, on behalf of all the retirees, to carry on serving their country in other capacities with integrity, towards sustainable security and development.

The first agreement consists in a €40 million concessional budget loan (about Frw 42.5 billion). It will support the strategy to combat the COVID-19 epidemic and the social recovery plan drawn up by the Rwandan authorities.

Based on WHO recommendations and country health and social protection strategies, the Government of Rwanda has developed its national plans, in order to: (i) prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic with the purpose to preserving and improving the health of the people and (ii) to protect the living conditions of the most vulnerable segments of the population.

AFD’s global support will provide flexibility to allow the government of Rwanda to adapt allocation of resources to the evolution of the disease.

On the Health side, the contribution will support priority measures to prevent transmission of the COVID-19, increase diagnostic capacities (tests, lab capacities), prevent and control infections in health centers (set up of isolation centers, personal protection equipment) and improve the treatment of affected patients (set up of treatment referral points). Overall, these actions will contribute in the long term to strengthening the capacities of the national health system and to improving the socio-economic livelihoods of the communities most affected by COVID-19. The health action plan is implemented by and under the supervision of the Rwanda Biomedical Center.

On the Social Protection side, the AFD facility will help Rwanda mitigate the social effects of COVID-19 on the most affected households by: (i) providing cash transfers to 150.000 vulnerable households, (ii) providing cash for works to 190.000 vulnerable households, (iii) enabling access to the nutrition program to 75.000 households with pregnant women or children under 2 years old, (iv) extending nutrition and financial support programs to more than 212.000 households from the informal sector who are not covered by the social protection system, and (v) supporting the funding of health insurance contributions for more than 1.9 million policyholders to the Rwanda Social Security Board. The Social Protection Plan is implemented by and under the supervision of the Local Administrative Entities Development Agency (LODA).

In addition to the €40 million budget support loan to the Government, AFD is also providing a grant to the tune of €2 million (about Frw 2.1 billion) to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) that will support COVID-19 response to the most vulnerable households in cooperation with the Rwanda Red Cross Society and Rwandan Authorities.

This €42 million total support against COVID-19 is part of the broader #TeamEurope response which is the tangible expression of the European Union Member States solidarity to help partner countries deal with the COVID crisis. In that respect, France launched a €1.2 billion initiative in response to the worldwide public health crisis caused by the global pandemics: “Health in Common”.

A second grant agreement was signed, to the tune of € 5.8 million (about Frw 6 billion), in support of the country’s vocational training system’s development. The project will increase the employability of Rwandan youth by strengthening their technical and linguistic skills through the inclusion of modules to reinforce the teaching of French. It thus responds to the Rwandan authorities’ strategy to make the country a hub for regional growth and languages.

The funding will also contribute to the implementation of a territorial plan in the district of Rulindo, which brings together those involved in the education, entrepreneurship and vocational integration of young people. Rwanda Polytechnic, a key player in vocational training, will be in charge of the implementation of the project.

An extra € 1.7 million will be provided by AFD to French operator Expertise France, to provide technical assistance to Rwanda Polytechnic, which will bring France’s total support to € 7.5 million.

These financing agreements, to a tune of €49.5 million, are in line with France’s cooperation policy, defined around the following five thematic priorities: the fight against vulnerability, education, climate, gender equality and health. This goes together with two central and cross-cutting concerns: the environment and social cohesion.

“As part of the unprecedented global solidarity drive to address the COVID-19 health crisis in Africa, AFD is fully committed to a targeted response to the health challenges posed by this pandemic. Given the emergency situation, the Agency is mobilizing all its teams and resources to provide fair, rapid and appropriate responses to the needs expressed by our partners, with the priority objective of strengthening health systems and supporting the actors engaged in this fight that concerns us all. One year to the day after my first visit to Rwanda in June 2019, I am happy to see the progress made in reviving AFD’s activity with the government of Rwanda. These are our first commitments in sovereign financing after about thirty years. They are part of a revival dynamic for our two countries partnership, at the service of the Rwandan population and in particular their youth”, says Rémy Rioux, AFD Chief Executive Officer.

“The signing of these financing agreements marks an important step in the revival of relations between France and Rwanda. I am profoundly delighted. The € 40 million budget loan demonstrates France’s determination to stand by Rwanda to address the health aspects of the COVID-19 epidemic and to support social measures that benefit the populations most affected by the economic impact of the crisis. This loan is part of the commitment of Team Europe (the European Union and its Member States) to support Rwanda’s determined action against COVID-19. The € 5.8 million grant materialises our desire to support Rwanda’s ambitious development strategy by backing the vocational training sector in order to promote access to employment for young Rwandan men and women. I hope that AFD’s reengagement in Rwanda will continue in the spirit of partnership that presides over Franco-Rwandan relations” says Jérémie Blin, Chargé d’affaires of the French Republic to Rwanda.

{{About Agence Française de Développement:}}

The Agence Française de Développement (AFD) Group funds, supports and accelerates the transition to a fairer and more sustainable world. Focusing on climate, biodiversity, peace, education, urban development, health and governance, our teams carry out more than 4,000 projects in France’s overseas departments and territories and another 115 countries. In this way, we contribute to the commitment of France and French people to support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).