BUJUMBURA January 10th (ABP) – The MPs met on Friday, January 7, 2022, at the Kigobe hemicycle, in plenary session, to analyze and adopt the bill on the status of agents of the National Police of Burundi.
During the explanatory memorandum, the Minister of the Interior, Community Development and Public Security, Mr. Gervais Ndirakobuca, recalled that the National Police of Burundi is governed by organic law number 1/03 promulgated on 20 February 2017 on the mission, composition, organization and functioning of the national police of Burundi. He also added that article 313 of this law provides for a number of implementing texts, in particular the statutes of the personnel of the National Police.
According to Mr. Ndirakobuca, the drafting of that law is largely inspired by law number 1/17 of December 31, 2010 relating to the status of agents of the National Police, by making certain innovations that could allow the agent to work in a socio-economic, security and political environment of the moment.
During questions posed by the members of the committee on good governance and privatization to the national assembly, asked the Minister having public security in his attributions, if article 6 of the bill under analysis, which provides that “to be recruited as a candidate for the National Police of Burundi, one must be single and not have children, and remain so throughout the duration of the training, the internship and the first three years of service, is not a discriminatory condition with regard to a candidate who became a girl-mother before the age required to be recruited as a National Police officer ”.
The Minister replied that the obligation to remain single is inserted in that bill, to allow the new police officer to get down to his daily activities, whether during training or at the start of his career. He added that this requirement not to have children does not concern only girls, but also boys, while specifying that when it is discovered that they have had children, they cannot be enlisted in the National Police.
According to Mr. Ndirakobuca, the profession of the National Police must be understood as a demanding profession which also requires additional efforts.
Regarding the question relating to the innovations recommended in that bill under analysis, the deputies wanted to know if these innovations can cause a budgetary impact.
The Minister in charge of public security replied that his ministry’s concern is to enable the police to perform their daily tasks well, to preserve peace and security on Burundian territory and to protect the population and their property.
He also indicated that this requires material means and various equipment adapted to the profession of police officer without forgetting the remuneration of the police officers. He also affirmed that this must have a budgetary impact, but in order to rationalize its means, the ministry must go there little by little according to the resources of the country.
After the analysis and adoption of the various substantive and formal mandates on that bill, 108 MPs who were present in the plenary session unanimously adopted the said bill.