BUJUMBURA January 31st (ABP) – The Minister of the Interior, Community Development and Public Security, Martin Niteretse held, Monday, January 29, 2024, at the circle of officers of the National Police of Burundi, in Ngagara, a meeting with the police officers from the communal police station, in order to listen to their complaints and follow up on them if possible.
In those words of circumstance, Minister Niteretse indicated that police officers must respect ethics and professional conduct in their work, be attentive in their profession and be characterized by love of the homeland. He recommended that police officers collaborate with the population, fight against injustices, disorder, during prevention activities, fight against fraudsters, corruption and avoid making the population sad.
He asked the police to prioritize the issues of widows and orphans with a view to keeping the peace and security of the poor.
In that meeting, he asked those police officers to express themselves freely, without evasions.
Speaking in turn, the communal commissioner at Bujumbura town hall, Lieutenant-Colonel of police, Mr. Ildephonse Bivahagumye said that to achieve vision 2040, emerging country and developed country 2060 and security must be safeguarded in our country.
He indicated that there are phenomena which can be a source of insecurity, in particular street or homeless children in Bujumbura city. According to him, more than 370 of them had been children settled in the province, Cankuzo (East of the Country), to receive supervision, but most of them escaped. The other phenomenon concerns women who sell fruit itinerantly in different areas of Bujumbura town hall. While the Bujumbura town hall asked them to stop that type of business in the neighborhoods and settle in a specific and known place, they resisted.
Other phenomena revealed are small shops visible in the neighborhoods in the morning and which, towards the evening, become cabarets. Which is a shame being that that type of cabarets is installed in the neighborhoods. That situation is also evident in the city of Bujumbura, in grocery stores and kiosks.
He also targeted other phenomena affecting the lives of the population. In the Buyenzi zone and district, in Mukaza commune where broken down cars are scattered in all the avenues of the said district. That can cause fires, adding that in the event of an emergency, those vehicle remains can prevent passage.
Police Colonel Bivahagumye asked Minister Niteretse to do everything to find an answer to that question.
He did not fail to point out that the communal police station carried out the physical identification of the police officers working as mayor of Bujumbura. That work was carried out, according to him, with the aim of strengthening security.
He also asked that fuel be available at all times so that the cars of the station chiefs could arrive without problem in different interventions.
Note that after the introductory words of the Minister and the Communal Commissioner, the meeting continued behind closed doors.