Residents of Gikondo, Nyamirambo, and Kacyiru are unhappy with the service rendered by Local Defense (LDU) forces in their communities thus calling upon concerned authorities to intervene.
Some of the residents in affected areas have made formal complaints against the harsh actions by the local defense in their communities. IGIHE.com has investigated the claims.
A resident in Nyamirambo also a taxi driver only identified as Theoneste told our reporter that since his job requires him to drive around. “I have seen how the LDU beat people with buttons and I think it is appalling”.
Theoneste believes that the local community should do something about this before the situation gets out of hand. “There are better ways of dealing with these issues than by beating or threatening them. I have witnessed LDU mistreat food vendors and street children.”
Every household in a community pays a mandatory frw 1,000 monthly fee for neighborhood security. The is used to pay for the needs of the men and women that serve in local defense.
At Gikondo, residents complain that many of their Local Defense personnel lack uniform and this causes great confusion.
A local food vendor and resident of Gikondo Bernadette says she works till late hours of the night in order to get as many buyers as she can. This is her only source of income.
She told IGIHE.com, “I am always approached by the LDU without uniform. This scares me. I would ask those in charge to provide uniforms to the LDUs or some form of identification.”
Other residents complain of the level of competence of some LDU members that can’t read national identities and rather spend time asking unnecessary questions.
However, in the district of Kacyiru many of the residents are pleased with the work of the local defense.
Some Kacyiru residents told our reporter that Kacyiru has become a very safe place where people fell safe walking at night except for the rare occasions of robbers or the rowdiness caused by the people in the local pubs.
Mr. Saban who is the head of the local defense at kacyiru told IGIHE.com that the money that residents pay every month for security is a very small amount and has to be used wisely.
The cost for paying for uniforms, nutrition, health as well as salaries is much more than the total amount received at the end of the month and this may be the cause LDU may be acting improperly.
However, we believe that those who are not performing in accordance with laws should be reported to the police and dealt with.
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