GASABO - The Rwanda national police yesterday, conducted a public debate competition on the role of youth in fighting crime. The debate which took place at the police headquarters in Kacyiru brought together students from Lyce de Kigali, FAWE girls, Green hills academy, Kigali International Community School (KICS) and Riviera High School.

"We have to involve the youth in crime prevention since some are the victims and others are caught in between. They are our prime priorities in fighting genocide dogma, gender based violence and drug abuse,” Superintendent Emmanuel Butera, the head of community policing told reporters.

According to the acting Commissioner General of police, Mary Gahonzire, the campaign of involving the youth has yielded a lot. She revealed that 230 anti-crime clubs were established in various schools around the country.

"The purpose of these debates is to mobilise the youth to be responsible and prevent crime and these schools are just the introduction. We shall continue until we cover the whole country,” Gahonzire said. 

On his role of involving the community in crime prevention Butera commended their efforts in fighting crime and said that crimes such as the genocide ideology have reduced since they started to introduce anti-crime clubs.

"When you involve the youth, you’re involving and investing in the present and the future,” Butera said.

In his presentation, the deputy chief of CID in charge of operations, Superintendent Maurice Murigo, said that the students can be the victims of contact crimes such as murder, rape, indecent assault, sexual harassment and elicit drugs.

Jennifer Sabiyumva 19, who was among the winners said that her team managed to earn a high score, by proving all facts and not fiction. 

"We were relaying on proven facts, as others were just defending claims but off course we all believe in the same cause,” Sabiyumva said. The first two teams were awarded with a trophy and certificates of merit.

"We are going to put all our efforts to develop this culture of debating as we discuss the problems affecting our community,” Butera revealed while awarding the teams.

The campaign is supported by United Nations Development Program and implemented by Rwanda police.

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