The Ministry of Local Government has created the District Administration Security Support Organ (Dasso), a new force to replace the current Local Defence Forces.

The 7,000-strong force is currently undergoing training at the Police Training School in Gishari, Rwamagana District.

A total of 2181 personnel, 229 of them females, started the training on May 31.

Established by a May 10, 2013 law, Dasso is a district organ that has been mandated to support law enforcement in districts.

The law also tasks them to arrest any person involved in disruption of public order and hand them over to the Police; to inform an administration entity of any suspicious security threat, among others.

The force is replacing the 10-year old local defence forces that have to be phased out within the next 12 months.

Fred Mufuruke, the director-general for Territorial Administration and Governance in the Ministry of Local Government, told The New Times that the move intends to avoid duplication of community security matters.

"The work of local defence was taken over by the community policing and, sometimes, you could find them idle, but they did a good job,” he said.

Mufuruke said Dasso will be essentially in charge of ensuring security of administrative facilities such as offices, markets and other public places.

Other security matters, including the night patrols, will be still tackled by community policing mechanism, which is all encompassing.

In a statement, Bruce Munyambo, the commissioner of Police for training in the new institution, said their training covers various policing disciplines such as weapon handling, basic crime investigation, public order management and civic education.

"Many local defence personnel get involved in bribery probably because they are not paid. If the new organ will show a high degree of discipline, then they are welcome,” said Frederic Kazigwemo, a resident of Mbyo Sector in Bugesera District.

"In some instances, local defence personnel have been causing insecurity instead. We would be quite happy if the new comers are different,” said Jean Claude Nkeshimana, an educationist from Muhanga District.

Management

While the law gives the National Police the mandate to train Dasso personnel, the responsibility of their management lies with the districts in terms of operations and logistics.

Mufuruke said collaboration with Rwanda National Police in the whole process is vital.

The Dasso law does not provide for weapons.

While the local defence personnel were volunteers, Dasso personnel will be district staff, with a salary, medical and social security insurances.

The Dasso personnel will be in three ranks (Dasso level 1, 2 and 3), with managers at district and sector levels being in level 3.