KACYIRU - Rwanda has become the first African nation to host the police officers’ leadership course previously conducted in the United Kingdom.

The initiative kicked off yesterday with a six-week East African police commanders’ course at Rwanda National Police (RNP) headquarters in Kacyiru, Kigali.

The course, to be facilitated by the UK police experts, has attracted 20 senior police officers from Tanzania, Somalia, Sudan, Malawi and hosts, Rwanda.

"The aim of this course is to enhance their competence for strategic leadership management position,” Cyprian Gatete, Assistant Commissioner of Police, said.

Gatete who is RNP’s Director of Training said that Rwanda is set become a regional centre for such leadership courses.

Gatete, who also attended the same course at UK’s Bramshill Police Staff College, said he was optimistic that no more Rwandan police officers would go to Britain for the same training.

One of the trainers from Bramshill College, Superintendent of Police Stuart Twigg, assured that the leadership training is at international standard.

"We are here to review the police leadership policies already in place to make sure that the policing strategy, which is all about interacting with people yield helpful results,” he said.

Under the auspices of the Rwandan government and UK embassy, Gatete said the programme is expected to bridge the communication gap between the police authorities in the region.

The UK Ambassador to Rwanda, Jeremy Macadie, promised further support for strengthening leadership skills of Rwandan police force.

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