It was all colourful at the National Police College (NPC) in Musanze District on Thursday, July 14, as 34 senior officers from eight African countries completed a one-year Police Senior Command and Staff Course (PSCSC).

The graduation of the 10th intake was attended by senior law enforcement officers from Rwanda, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Zambia.

The tenth PSCSC programme comprised of three main components: a Police professional career component, which leads to the award of a Post Staff College (PSC) title; a Master’s degree in Peace Studies and Conflict Transformation by the University of Rwanda; and a post-graduate programme, which awards a post graduate diploma in Strategic Leadership and Management by the African Leadership University.

The colourful event was presided over by the Minister of Interior, Alfred Gasana, who reminded the graduands that titles and awards attained should reflect on their ability to bring solutions to law enforcement challenges in their respective countries.

The graduation was also graced by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dan Munyuza, the IGP of Namibian Police, Lt. Gen. Sebastian Ndeitunga, Police Commissioner for Somali Police Force (SPF), Maj. Gen. Abdi Hassan Mohammed; Governor Northern Province, Dancilla Nyirarugero, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police (SACP) Betty N, Timba from Zambia Police Service, and RNP Deputy IGP in charge of Administration and Personnel, Jeanne Chantal Ujeneza and other officials.

Thirteen senior Police officers from Namibia, six from Somalia and five Zambia have attended the PSCSC at NPC.
“Today, we are here to celebrate your achievements as well as your efforts, hard work, team spirit, commitment and resilience. I commend you for translating your wisdom into action,” Minister Gasana said.

As they celebrate the milestone, the Minister reminded them that there is still more to do, more to learn and more to achieve.

He reiterated that peace and security in countries depend on the amount of efforts deployed to prevent or disrupt crimes; minimize, manage or transform conflicts that are unavoidable in any human society.
“These efforts mostly focus on addressing the root causes of conflicts from socio-economic, political, legal, institutional and structural perspectives and where no due consideration is given to these issues, conflicts are likely to break out and escalate beyond proportion,” Minister Gasana said.

In Rwanda, he said, the Genocide against the Tutsi was a culmination of a long time unresolved issues of divisionism and discrimination followed by exclusion, bad governance, structural violence and impunity.
“In the aftermath of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, we have witnessed how the promotion of collective security, unity, reconciliation, fair justice and good governance contributed to social cohesion, peace towards accelerated development,” he said.

He added that learning from this experience, it becomes apparent that leadership is at the heart of societal transformation and all endeavours towards peace, security and sustainable development.

The participation of law enforcement officers from African countries, Minister Gasana said, it is an “expression of African solidarity towards finding African solutions to African challenges and build the Africa we want.”

He further observed that this joint training venture is one of the key tools for nurturing cooperation and to foster exchange of experience, information sharing and provide a forum for designing joint strategies to respond to crime-related challenges.

The NPC Commandant, Commissioner of Police (CP) Rafiki Mujiji said that the course was highly demanding requiring high levels of self-discipline and determination to achieve the goals.
“Your positive attitude, hard-work spirit and discipline exhibited throughout the course have made possible today’s celebrations,” CP Mujiji said.

Prof. Nosa O. Egiebor, the acting Vice Chancellor of the University of Rwanda (UR), congratulated the senior Police officers for the milestone and urged them to be good ambassadors.
“As you move-on to your various duty posts to take on your professional assignments as peace and security officers, you must remember that the authority entrusted on you comes with huge responsibilities to your people and society to provide exemplary leadership for the resolution of the contemporary peace, security and conflict related challenges of your time,” Prof. Nosa said.

Veda Sunassee, the CEO of African Leadership University, a new partner with the RNP Senior Command and Staff Course, expressed commitment to the sustainability and efficiency of the course.
“We are privileged to have a potential partner in Rwanda National Police… Pan-Africanism is a core identified of what we do. Thank you for entrusting us with this responsibility to deliver this leadership programme. You are one of our best and greatest partners and we look forward to a continued journey,” Sunassee said.
He added that leadership is not a destination but a path to walk.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Peter Mwale Kalaya from Malawi was awarded for the overall best research paper.
Kenya’s SSP Fatuma Hadi Ali was the overall Best Student while SP Faustin Munyabarenzi from RNP came second and Brig. Gen. Abraham Dut Deng Dut from South Sudan was awarded as the third overall best student.