Tag: news

Kagame made the remarks while responding to a question on the subject, Sunday, during a press interaction with RBA, saying that he had been following up on the issue and from his understanding, it was the actions of a few individual officers and not operational guidelines of the police force.

“I have learned that there have been individual excesses which I don’t attribute to lack of training. They have sufficient training, they have ability and commitment. This depends on individuals,” he said.

The Head of State said he had instructed police leadership to ensure that any officers found to have engaged in excesses will be held accountable in a transparent manner.

“We are going to see change; there is no need for that excessive force. Even when the one you are dealing with maybe a hardcore criminal the police are trained and know how to deal with such a situation without applying excesses,” he said.

He added that the isolated incidents should not tarnish the image of the Rwanda National Police.

President Paul Kagame has promised a permanent solution to concerns on excessive use by some police officers in the line of duty.

Nicole Kamanzi M.

President Kagame made the remarks on Sunday during a press meeting with the RBA where he addressed a number of issues of national importance.

President Kagame said that over the past five months Rwanda has been successful in dealing with the COVID-19.

“This does not mean that it does not affect us as badly as others, but we are among the first in the world in terms of coping with this pandemic, preventing it from taking many lives,” said the Head of State

“In order for us to get that position in the first place, it came from the efforts of Rwandans; it didn’t just happen, it was people who did it. Yet all the economic aspects of human life were disturbed.”

President Kagame said the effects of Coronavirus will affect the economy of the country and the world as a whole, stressing that the government will continue to do its utmost to protect the lives of the people and their livelihoods.

“We need to ensure that life keeps going on, that we take decisions adapting to the situation. We want Rwandans to have a better life, not to be affected by this pandemic but also not to starve. Let it not be choosing between dying from the pandemic or from starving.”

He said that the government will continue to look for resources in order to preserve the life of the country.

President Paul Kagame said that the country is still looking for resources so that efforts to curb the pandemic would not stop other areas of life in the country.

President Kagame said that over the past five months Rwanda has been successful in dealing with the COVID-19.

President Kagame said that the government will continue to look for resources in order to preserve the life of the country.

Nicole Kamanzi M.

Busingye made the commitment following social media complaints against use of excessive force by the police on social media over the last two weeks, following the shooting of two suspects, the most recent being on Friday, in Kimisagara, Nyarugenge district.

Police shot and killed a one Boy Munyaneza, a suspect who was detained at Kimisagara Police Station who allegedly attempted to escape from custody through Mpazi Ravine, prompting officers on duty to fire bullets at him.

The incident followed another one on Sunday, August 30th, in Zaza Sector, Ngoma district, in Eastern Province, in which a police officer shot and killed Evariste Nsengiyumva, who allegedly tried to fight police officers who were enforcing measures against the New Coronavirus.

Police got a tip off that Nsengiyumva and others were in a certain house, whose owner had turned into a bar, drinking past 7 pm.

When cops raided the house, it is alleged that while others fled or were arrested in the act, Nsengiyumva attempted to fight and disarm a police officer who reacted by firing. The incident enraged many who took to social media.

While addressing concerns of members of the public over recent cases in which unarmed misbehaving suspects are shot by police while attempting to apprehend them, Busingye said fatally shooting suspects is not lawful.

“The use of excessive or deadly force against unarmed detainees/suspects is illegal and inappropriate. We are working with @Rwandapolice and concerned institutions to reign it in through policy and operational measures, intensified accountability, training and effective oversight,” Busingye said.

Rwanda National Police (RNP) said it had arrested the officer involved while investigations into the incident were being conducted.

“Police has arrested the officer involved in the shooting of Nsengiyumva Evariste, a resident of Zaza sector, Ngoma district.”

“Investigations are underway to establish the circumstances of the shooting,” said the Police.

Nicole Kamanzi M.

President Kagame’s remarks came days after some Rwandans living abroad were spreading rumors that the Rwandan president was ill and may be dead.

Though the news was not given much value in Rwanda, it has continued to confuse minds among anti-government activists living abroad.

In an interview with the RBA on Sunday, President Kagame was asked if he had seen these reports saying that his health was deteriorating, and how social media could be used to prevent such rumors.

President Kagame said he heard news of his death too but did not give them much value.

“I found out recently, not only did they say my life was in bad shape but that I was no more. It’s too much. There is a proverb that says, ‘urucira mukaso, rugatwara nyoko’ (you wish death to your step-mother and it takes your mother instead)
[He laughed] I hope we don’t miss a lot of mothers because of these people spreading such things but life is life, even those saying that, I don’t know how long they will live on Earth, but even if they live for a hundred years, that hundred years will come to an end.”

At the forefront of spreading these rumors is Father Nahimana Thomas, who has been widely renowned for his negative criticism of the Rwandan government.
President Kagame said people should know how to analyze the authenticity of information they get from social media. He also warned Nahimana that he might find himself arrested for what all the falsehoods he keeps on spreading.

“What I would say to young people and other people is to know how to analyze, they should use social media to learn, talk to people, give information as they want but include an analysis, find out what can be posted on social media […] whether that priest or someone else, people live their lives; we cannot prevent bad people from living badly in such a way but you can distinguish what is good from what is bad; it will be useful.”

In addition, President Kagame said social media is usually a good way to get people to know what’s going on elsewhere. However, he said, there were those that abuse those platforms, so there was a need to find ways to prevent this misuse and instead promote its benefits.

“There is a proverb that says, ‘urucira mukaso, rugatwara nyoko’ (you wish death to your step-mother and it takes your mother instead)” said President Kagame

President Kagame said social media is usually a good way to get people to know what’s going on elsewhere.

In an interview with the RBA on Sunday, President Kagame was asked if he had seen these reports saying that his health was deteriorating,

Nicole Kamanzi M.