WESTERN PROVINCE

RUBAVU – The Western Province Governor, Penelope Kantarama has warned residents living along Rwanda DRC border to be security conscious and report any suspicious elements to the authorities.

Kantarama said this recently while meeting sector coordinators in Gisenyi town to discuss security concerns in the wake of renewed fighting in DRC.

"Sectors along DRC border should be vigilant because there have been reports of insecurities caused by people who are most likely from the Interahamwe that are responsible for the 1994 genocide,” she said.

She said that unidentified armed people had recently crossed the border from DRC into Busasamana Sector in the night, killed one man and rooted all his property.

She called upon security personnel to work hand in hand with local leaders and residents to avoid any further intrusion and insecurities caused by people who sneak into sectors close to the border to destabilise security.

Asked if such people weren’t a big security threat to the entire province, the governor said that they were just criminals that are currently living in DRC who just crossed the border to steal people’s property and food.

"They have no ability to openly attack Rwanda; they just sneaked in once to steal food and property. That’s why we need residents themselves to be involved and report any intruders,” she said.

In a related development, Gisenyi sector coordinator, Gideon Ruboneza has ordered all land lords to install security lights outside their houses and along the fences to reduce the increasing theft and robbery cases in Gisenyi town.

He blamed the increasing robbery and theft crimes in the town to idle people who use drugs smuggled into the country from Goma.

"The increasing smuggling and use of drugs is responsible for the escalating robbery. We have got many cases where thugs break into people’s house and steal property but police is working with community policing committees in Gisenyi sector to fight the criminals through regular night patrols,” he said. 

He explained that security lights will help to decrease hideouts for these thugs thus reducing crimes. "We have set a deadline for house owners to  install the required lights and any one who will have not done that by the end of this month will pay a fine of Frw10, 000,” he said.

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