AIP Yvette Tumukunde Mutabazi, 27 years old, shared with the volunteer youth the journey that led her to the Rwanda National Police and to becoming an instructor at the police academy in Musanze.
She discussed this on Tuesday at the BK Arena, where over 7,500 volunteer youths from across the country gathered to celebrate the tenth anniversary of this initiative, which has been aiding local and security agencies in preventing various crimes, as well as contributing to national development projects.
AIP Tumukunde was one of the young people selected to share her journey. She mentioned that she holds a degree in Forensic Science and is among those who apply technology and science in detecting and preventing crimes to ensure justice is served.
AIP Tumukunde said she was once part of the volunteer youth and chose to join the National Police to contribute to building Rwanda.
She said, “After finishing school, I joined a national service program where we would engage in various activities across the country. However, I was also inspired by the history of the Inkotanyi, who stopped the Genocide against the Tutsi in 1994, where many were young like us, some even younger, including girls and women.”
She wondered how some left their jobs to join the fight, which inspired her to exhibit the same bravery.
She then began exploring how to join the Rwanda National Police, despite some friends trying to discourage her, telling her she would not be able to endure the training.
She said, “I went ahead and completed the training and became an officer in the National Police, which is well-governed, inclusive, and non-discriminatory due to good leadership. We owe this good governance today to His Excellency the President of the Republic, who is also a friend of the youth.”
“I joined saying to myself that I must perform professionally. I enhanced my knowledge and earned my degree, and I received various trainings in African countries and abroad.”
AIP Tumukunde said that these trainings empowered her such that today she is proud to share the knowledge she gained with her peers through teaching at the police academy in Musanze.
She said, “Today, I am a teacher at the police academy, and I feel proud to also be contributing. I am providing knowledge to the police so that they can perform professionally, and doing this as a youth makes me feel extremely proud.”
AIP Tumukunde said that the youth still have much work in preserving and enhancing what has been achieved, urging everyone to use their talents to further develop Rwanda.
She also asked the youth to avoid cross-border crimes, human trafficking, gender-based violence, drug abuse, and excessive drinking.
She said, “Let’s drink less, let’s exercise, let’s commit to being a healthy youth. I can set an example that after work, I go to play basketball and afterwards, I feel good.”
AIP Tumukunde also urged the youth to continue preventing various crimes and to give their utmost effort to advance Rwanda, like those who stopped the genocide did. She further advised them to avoid negative rhetoric that sets them back.
