The Mayor of Rubavu District, Prosper Mulindwa, has reassured residents that authorities are taking action to guarantee their safety. This comes after concerns were raised on social media regarding theft, pickpocketing, and violence perpetrated by a gang known as ‘Abuzukuru ba Shitani’ (grandchildren of Satan), predominantly made up of street children and idle individuals. The district has been in the spotlight due to the criminal activities of this group.
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The gang of criminals who steal items such as bags, phones, and cash from individuals, primarily in the outskirts and streets of Rubavu town, tend to operate in areas with inadequate public lighting. The name first emerged from a band of young street youths who engaged in pickpocketing individuals commuting or waiting for buses in Rubavu town between 2008 and 2013, as per a source from the Rugerero Sector who spoke to The New Times anonymously.
"People then named the older thugs ‘Abuzukuru ba Shitani’ and the younger ones were called ‘Marines’,” he added.
Elijah Ndungutse, a resident of Buhaza Cell, Rubavu District, is a victim of the gang. They broke into his rented house, robbed him, and left him with nothing, forcing him to start from scratch.
"A guy, aged around 20, attacked me when I was getting off a motorcycle; he was very strong. We fought, trying to get my purse and phone. He pushed me down in front of our gate,” Claudine Uwayezu, 35, a Gisenyi Sector resident, narrated.
Speaking to The New Times regarding the ongoing issue, Mulindwa mentioned that several actions are being taken against the perpetrators. He noted that identified criminal elements have been documented, with some already apprehended in efforts to resolve the situation.
He said: "Though we have not yet addressed the theft problem in some neighbourhoods, there is no organised thug group under that name; they’re ordinary thieves like anywhere else.
"We have the list, we know them, and we will arrest them for misconduct and theft. We have established a joint team that will deal with this problem on a daily basis.”
Mulindwa stated that the district will gather them, and identify which children should return to school—those with parents and those without—in order to comprehend their situations.
During a recent visit to monitor the government’s efforts in promoting agricultural and livestock farming cooperatives, Senator Espérance Nyirasafari, Vice President in Charge of Parliamentary Affairs, and Hon. Marie Rose Mureshyankwano cautioned Rubavu authorities to tackle the issue.
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Meanwhile, Mulindwa also used the opportunity to emphasise that Rubavu residents, and Rwandans in general, are safe amid the ongoing conflict in neighbouring DR Congo.
"Rubavu residents are safe, and borders are tightly monitored,” he stated.