Author: Théophile Niyitegeka

{The Minister of Justice, Johnston Busingye, yesterday said that Rwanda’s security remains intact and called for the continued partnership at all levels in sustaining what has been achieved.}

The Minister made the remarks while officiating a one-day Police-Media interaction session held at the Rwanda National Police headquarters under the theme: “Strengthening Partnership for Quality Service Delivery.”

The session is held on a quarterly basis. Its aim is to create a permanent platform for the engagement of the media and the police.

The Minister said that the media is a strong partner in ensuring security in the country; however, he called for a paradigm shift from crime prevention to sensitizing Rwandans to comply with the law.

“Professional journalism is about serving the interest of the people when it comes to crime prevention and compliance with the law… your commitment to public safety is highly valued,” the Minister said.

He reminded journalists that their work serves as a great contribution to the nation’s development.

“The government is proud of the important milestone the media has achieved by being good advocates for citizen interests,” he said.

“Crimes affect all of us, including criminals themselves. We should all desist from crime to avoid its consequences. All Rwandans should envision and dream a country free from illicit drugs, corruption, cyber-enabled crimes, theft, Gender Based Violence and any other crime.”

The Minister emphasized the role of the media in championing efforts against the trafficking, distribution, and use of narcotics, “drug related crimes should be conclusively dealt with because of their adverse effects on humanity,” he told journalists.

He further highlighted that although Rwanda remains safe, emerging security threats such as terrorism and technology-facilitated crimes remain a global concern that requires collective approach including that of the media to ensure compliance with the laws and to facilitate the realization of the security and development Rwandan desire.

The Chairperson of the Rwanda Media Commission (RMC), Cleophas Barore observed that, of the 200 cases his organization has handled in the last four years none has been referred to the police, underling that “these interactions help to bridge the gap between the police and the media.”

While closing the session, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Emmanuel K. Gasana told journalists that Rwanda’s “security architecture incorporates media, the general public, and other public and private entities.” As a result, ” this has eased access to information and facilitated crime prevention through our community policing model.”

The IGP also called for a strengthened partnership with the media in the forthcoming 23rdcommemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Such partnership would help ensure that cases of negative ideologies and other foreign based negative elements are kept at bay.

Particularly on the Police-media interactions, the IGP told journalists that the platform is proof of collective efforts in keeping Rwanda safe, ” this form of interaction helps you to publish informed news and it helps us to update the public about what we do and how we do it.”

The IGP reminded journalists of the power of information, “information is power and using the media is powerful,” he said.

He continued that it is through the media that communication to our people takes place and that there can be no development without security.

He elaborated thus: “as a country with an ambition and sense of urgency, security is paramount. We have achieved a lot but we must work harder to achieve even more and sustain what is in place already.”

The daylong session was attended by representatives from the Swedish embassy, UNESCO Legal Aid Forum, Rwanda Governance Board, Rwanda Utility Regulatory Authority, National Commission for the Fight against Genocide and Rwanda Public Prosecution Authority among others.

Expert panels deliberated on topics including the working relations between the media and the police; ethical reporting of legal and justice matters; the safety of journalists; the rights and obligations journalists; and responsible coverage of the commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

The meeting came up with 12 resolutions in relation to enhancing cooperation between the police and the media in particular and in professional reporting in general.

Source:Police

{A commercial motorcyclist operating in Nyarugenge District has been arrested in connection with forging a transport authorization permit, normally issued by Rwanda Utility Regulatory Authority (RURA).}

The permit authorizes a person with a motorcycle to use it in the business of transporting people.

Bosco Udahemuka was arrested on April 2 in Rwezamenyo Sector, Police spokesperson for the City of Kigali, Supt. Emmanuel Hitayezu said.

“Udahemuka was stopped by traffic officers for usual road safety checks and standards and that’s how they realized that the transport authorisation permit he was holding was forged… he was immediately taken into custody,” Supt. Hitayezu said.

He is currently detained at Rwezamenyo Police Station pending further investigations.

Article 609 of the penal code states that “any person who forges or alters documents by forged signature or fingerprint, falsifying documents or signatures or impersonation, forging agreements, its provisions, obligations, discharged obligations shall be liable to a term of imprisonment of more than to seven years and a fine of Rwf300, 000 to Rwf3 million.”

In a related development, Police in Muhanga District is also holding two men for allegedly attempting to bribe officers.

One of the suspects; Cyprien Sindabyemera had attempted to offer a bribe of Rwf30, 000 after failing a driving test, while another one identified as Gabriel Nzakizwanayo had been caught driving a truck that didn’t have a speed governor, and tried to seduce the officer with Rwf10, 000.

Source:Police

{Babies cry more in Britain, Canada and Italy, than the rest of the world — according to new research by the University of Warwick.}

Professor Dieter Wolke in the Department of Psychology has formulated the world’s first universal charts for the normal amount of crying in babies during the first three months.

In a meta-analysis of studies involving almost 8700 infants — in countries including Germany, Denmark, Japan, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands and the UK — Professor Wolke calculated the average of how long babies fuss and cry per twenty-four hours across different cultures in their first twelve weeks.

On average, it was found that babies cry for around two hours per day in the first two weeks. Crying generally peaks at around two hours fifteen minutes per day at six weeks — and reduces gradually to an average of 1 hour 10 minutes by the twelve week mark.

However, some infants were found to cry as little as 30 minutes, and others over 5 hours, in twenty-four hours.

Babies cry the most in the UK, Italy, Canada, and the Netherlands — and the lowest levels of crying were found in Denmark, Germany and Japan.

The highest levels of colic — defined as crying more than 3 hours a day for at least 3 days a week in a baby- were found in the UK (28% of infants at 1-2 weeks), Canada (34.1% at 3-4 weeks of age) and Italy (20.9% at 8-9 weeks of age).

In contrast, lowest colic rates were reported in Denmark (5.5% at 3-4 weeks) and Germany (6.7% at 3-4 weeks).

The current definitions for determining whether a baby is crying too much and suffering from colic, are the Wessel criteria, which were formulated in the 1950s.

As childcare and the family unit has largely transformed over the last half century and across different cultures, new universal guidelines were needed for modern parents and health professionals to assess normal and excessive levels of crying in babies.

Professor Wolke comments on what the research will lead to, “Babies are already very different in how much they cry in the first weeks of life — there are large but normal variations. We may learn more from looking at cultures where there is less crying and whether this may be due to parenting or other factors relating to pregnancy experiences or genetics.

“The new chart of normal fuss/cry amounts in babies across industrialised countries will help health professionals to reassure parents whether a baby is crying within the normal expected range in the first 3 months or shows excessive crying which may require further evaluation and extra support for the parents.”

Source:Science Daily

{The Association of Pentecostal Churches in Rwanda (ADEPR) has come out to strongly preach against trafficking, sell and use of illicit drugs and to supplement ongoing efforts against the vice in the country.}

The ADEPR church held a crusade at Rushubi Parish in Musanze District on April 2, dedicated to raising awareness and call for ownership in fighting narcotic drugs in their respective communities.

It comes at the time when Rwanda National Police (RNP) is actively engaged in activities aimed at breaking chains of supply through awareness campaigns and operations.

The ADEPR Church focused on averting the trend especially among the youth, the majority affected and involved.

Common drugs classified as narcotics in Rwanda include cannabis, crispy khat (mairungi), gins like kanyanga, waragis packed in banned plastic bags such as zebra, chief, host, kitoko, kick and blue sky, and other locally distilled brew made out fertilizers, sugarcane residues, burned bricks, water and tea leaves.

While speaking to about 1200 people, who attended the crusade, Pastor Gaspard Semajeri of Rushubi parish, told the congregation that fearing God binds everyone to also fight anything that tarnishes the image of mankind including narcotic drugs.

“Building our country requires building resourceful generation. Our children are being wasted and destroyed by drugs, and this falls in our responsibilities to support the police efforts to prevent anything that can affect the young generation from getting wasted, which can also be disastrous for the future of this nation,” Pastor Semajeri said.

“As the ADEPR church, we have dedicated ourselves to fighting drugs among other crimes. Preventing crimes in among the priorities of the church, and we want members to equally convey the message and make it their responsibility if all combined efforts are to be successful to transform our generation,” he added.

“We are praying and enjoying our country because it’s safe and secure, and that challenges us all to sustain it by preventing what can cause it like illicit drugs.”

Inspector of Police (IP) Viateur Ntiyamira, the District Community Liaison Officer (DCLO) of Musanze, commended the role faith-based organizations play in raising awareness against crime.

“Any person caught trafficking, selling or consuming illicit drugs is imprisoned plus other penalties, and seized drugs destroyed. This is a double loss to the person who could have invested the money into legal ventures, and the dependants; children who will now have to survive without parents or the youth who are supposed to be in school,” IP Ntiyamira said.

He appealed to the congregation to continue with the spirit and drive the agenda of ensuring a drug-free country.

Source:Police