Rwanda National Police (RNP) has for the past years been strongly involved in reconciling families that are embroiled in wrangles in order to foster community peace, safety and security.
It is in this line that the Southern Region Police Commander (RPC) Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Francis Nkwaya, on May 18, met with 150 couples in Kamonyi District that were once wrecked by disputes and later reconciled by RNP, to assess the progress made.
In his meeting with the couples, the RPC recognised the achievements made and also thanked them for the efforts they invested in ensuring that each one of them reconcile with their partners to live in harmony.
ACP Nkwaya noted that RNP always makes follow-up on these families, to ensure that they put in practice what they pledged to do.
“RNP released the need to help families overcome misunderstandings as part of crime prevention; police counselors and community liaison officers reach out to identified troubled families and help them to solve their differences amicably. Police counselors regularly call these families and visit them to ensure that they are still in the frame of reconciliation,” ACP Nkwaya said.
“The programme of reconciling disputed families is in line with solving domestic disputes that often result into domestic and gender based violence, home neglect and broken families.”
“When such wrangles become persistent, they bring about several consequences, including traumatizing children who may end up dropping out of school, street children,sorting to drug abuse or joining criminal rings. That is why police initiated this program as part of Community Policing strategy to maintain safety in societies,” said ACP Nkwaya.
The vice mayor in charge of welfare, Marie Umurerwa, who also attended the meeting, thanked RNP noting that since the reconciliation programme was rolled out in Kamonyi, there has been significant reduction in cases related to domestic violence.
One of those that benefited from the programme, Alexis Hitimana noted that ever since he was reconciled and reunited with his spouse, the entire family lifestyle has improved.
“As a husband, I accepted that I misused our property because I did not think that my wife and children were also owners of my property. I also wasted the family money in alcohol rather than buying necessities and when my wife complained, I assaulted her,” said Hitimana.
“Ever since we reconciled, our family earning have multiplies; we are a happy family and helping in reconciling other families,” he added.
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