Another contingent of 90 police officers, yesterday morning,  left for the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Darfur (UNMID).

The group, led by former traffic police Chief, Supt. Robert Niyonshuti left aboard RwandAir and will be stationed in the war torn Darfur region for one year.

The officers were between the ranks of Assistant Inspector of Police and Superintendant of Police (SP).

The Commissioner General of Police, Emmanuel Gasana who was flanked by other senior officers in the force oversaw the departure of the officers at Kanombe International Airport.

Their departure comes a day after the police chief addressed them at the forces headquarters in Kacyiru on Tuesday, where he discussed the importance of the mission, and its delicate nature.

Gasana  urged the officers to have the spirit of patriotism and humility during their mission.

"Due to a visionary national leadership, commitment and professional services provided by your predecessors, Rwanda has achieved international recognition for quality services and living to its word,” Gasana observed.  

"Carry this reputation with you and live to its promise or better still, excel. Revisit your conscience and reiterate your commitment to service of humanity in general and your country in particular.”

This brings the number of police officers in UNMID to 218. There are now over 300 officers on different missions in Darfur (UNMID), Sudan (UNMIS), Haiti ((MINUSTAH), Liberia and Chad, with 121 of them females.

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