Thirty One Senior Police officers from 10 African countries, on July 02, graduated after successfully completing a one-year Police Senior Command and Staff course at Rwanda National Police College(NPC) in Musanze District.
The graduants of the fourth intake of NPC ‘s highest academic course were from Ethiopia, The Gambia, Kenya, Burundi, Namibia, South Sudan, Tanzania Uganda, Zambia and Rwanda, the hosts.
The one-year course offers strategic Command and leadership skills as well Master’s programme in Peace Studies and Conflict Transformation offered in partnership with the Centre for Conflict Management of the University of Rwanda.
It combines Police components, which include command, and operational staff work offered by Rwanda National Police, and a post graduate diploma in strategic management and leadership offered by Maastricht School of Management from Netherlands.
The Minister for Internal Security, Sheikh Musa Fazil Harerimana who officiated at the ceremony conferred the 31 grandaunds with certificates and decorated them with the Passed-Staff-College symbol(PSC).
“I, Musa Fazil Harerimana, Minister of Internal Security, responsible for RNP, on behalf of the President of the Republic of Rwanda, Paul Kagame and by virtual of authority entrusted to him by the law, on the occasion of your completion of Police Senior Command and Staff in this college I do hereby confer to you the title of Passed Staff College from this day,” minister Harerimana, said.
The Minister told attendants in his address that; “This is yet another indication of the great extent to which Rwanda National Police has moved towards its vision to see that people in Rwanda are safe, involved and reassured, by increasingly building the capacity of its personnel at all levels.”
“In line with this and considering the contemporary nature of human interactions and the ever changing environment of crimes, associated with globablisation and technological advancement, I believe cooperation is key in both, taking advantage of the positive aspects of the current world system and fighting against negative aspects like transnational crimes,” he said.
Just like the previous three intakes, Harerimana said, the sharing of experiences and learning together constitutes a milestone in consolidating the regional cooperation and integration especially in the domain of law enforcement.
“The inseparable link between human resource development and better service delivery to the people is the key to professionalism and a culture of efficiency which contributes to a nation’s progress. The protection of people and property is a major ingredient to security and security is a precondition for sustainable development. There cannot be any better investment than equipping those responsible for ensuring such a noble cause,” the Minister said
The commandant of NPC, Commissioner of Police(CP) Felix Namuhoranye, who elaborated on the details of the course, thanked students for discipline and enthusiasm exhibited during the course.
He added that; “I am confident that the knowledge acquired will not only benefit the granduands but also their nations and the continent entirely
He pledged that government’s support to RNP in capacity building efforts and academic programmes and also urged granduands to maintain the bond they formed since the beginning of the course in the interest of sharing experience.
The course acquired by the officers is the highest conducted by NPC. According to the Commandant of NPC, Commissioner of Police (CP) Felix Namuhoranye, the course is designed to impart selected senior police officers with strategic management, leadership command and policing skills as it opens them to the global understanding of the contemporary peace and conflict management.
Participants sent time on field studies both in and outside Rwanda to establish a nexus between theories they learn in class and tangible realities on the ground.
The graduation was attended by dignitaries from different countries including Rwandan Senior government, Police, and military officers.
Among them include; the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Emmanuel K. Gasana, the commandant of Rwanda Defence Force Command and Staff College Maj. Gen Jean-Bosco Kazura, the representative of South Sudan IGP, Lt Gen Abraham Peter Manyuat and and senior lecturers from University of Rwanda who offered lectures to the graduands.
“RNP strongly believe that contemporary policing environment compels us to share these skills with other African countries because in policing no countries can go alone…it is in this spirit that that the course attracted 30 participants from eight African countries,” NPC commandant, Commissioner of Police Felix Namuhoranye, said.
During the period of one year, participants were taken through a combined programme addressing both professional and academic needs at the strategic police command level.
“I know that the training has been demanding but I hope it was also educative and rewarding. I am confident that, for many of you, this was a critical opportunity to build on your field of exposure and experience in order to improve your personal confidence to test the validity of your academic learning and to acquire the skills and knowledge that you can use to improve your own performance,” CP Namuhoranye said.
During the ceremony, Minister Harerimana also awarded the four best performing students; SACP Godfrey Mwanza from Zambian Police was awarded with the best academic paper award for presenting the best commandant paper; RNP’s Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Bosco Rangira emerged the most disciplined student for his outstanding conduct throughout the course while Tanzania’s ACP Suzan Kaganda scooped the best allied student’s award for her exceptional academic command and leadership qualities exhibited in different capacities.
The overall best student’s award went to ACP Rafiki Mujiji for demonstrating outstanding leadership, management and command coupled with advanced academic abilities and teamwork.
Source: RNP
UM– USEKE.RW
