Various public institutions charged with fighting corruption converged at Rwanda National Police (RNP) General Headquarters recently in a one day conference aimed at redrawing strategies to combat graft.

The institutions included RNP, Rwanda Governance Board (RGB), Office of the Ombudsman, National Public Prosecution Authority (NPPA), Rwanda Public Procurement Authority (RPPA), Rwanda Revenue Authority and Transparency International-Rwanda.

The event was in line with the Ombudsman’s anti-corruption-week and attracted about 200 officials who also included Rwanda Bar Association, Office of the Auditor General and district executive secretaries.

The consultative meeting commended the RNP strategy of public partnership in fighting corruption – a mechanism that falls into the force’s; zero tolerance to corruption policy, according to Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Celestin Twahirwa, the Commissioner for Community Policing.

Twahirwa, who was one of the panelists, pointed out that the force uses two approaches in its response to fight graft; repressive and aggressive.

"In so doing we, have come up with strong strategies to fight corruption, including the establishment of anti-corruption unit, strengthened the existing partnership with the public through community policing, use of different social networks, e-policing to reduce physical contact between the service seekers and the front desk officers, openness and accountability,” ACP Twahirwa said.

"Ultimately, where there is corruption, strong and effective governance can be difficult to establish, and social and economic develop will be hindered,” he said.

He pointed out that through partnership with citizens, about Rwf6.6 billion of evaded taxes were recovered. Over 100 people were arrested in connection with misappropriation of about Rwf4.3 billion that was unaccountable in social protection programmes,since January this year.

"The type of corruption we encounter is petty in nature. It’s individuals involved in giving or receiving a small amount or using other means to acquire an illegal service or to charge people for a free service; it’s not an institutionalised kind of corruption,” he noted.

In a separate panel, the acting Commissioner of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) ACP Morris Murigo, the force’s zero tolerance for corruption is a redline for any officer.

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