Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) and Rwanda National Police have been commended for extending their role beyond safeguarding peace and national sovereignty to implementing community development projects that are improving livelihoods across the country.
As Rwanda marked the 32nd anniversary of Liberation Day, security institutions on Saturday unveiled and handed over a series of development projects worth more than Rwf2.7 billion, implemented in collaboration with government institutions, local authorities and communities since March 2026.
The projects, carried out at selected sites nationwide, include classrooms, housing units, bridges, sanitation facilities, clean water systems, boats to improve transport and trade, livestock distribution, free medical outreach services, and support to community cooperatives.
In Kigali, officials inaugurated 15 classrooms and 18 sanitation facilities at GS Rwinkuba in Kinyinya Sector, Gasabo District, aimed at addressing classroom overcrowding.
Ten motorcycles were also handed over to young people who had recovered from drug abuse and other harmful behaviours to support their economic reintegration.
State Minister for Education Claudette Irere said the school had previously accommodated between 70 and 80 learners per classroom, describing the new facilities as a timely intervention.
“This is an initiative we highly appreciate. It goes beyond supporting education; it reflects a strong partnership with communities,” she said.
She commended the RDF and Rwanda National Police for complementing their core security mandate with initiatives that improve citizens’ welfare, noting that they are not only protectors of peace and sovereignty but also key contributors to national development.
In the Southern Province, Senate President Dr. François Xavier Kalinda, together with Minister of Defence Juvenal Marizamunda and other officials, inaugurated Kigese Technical Secondary School in Rugalika Sector, Kamonyi District.
The school has the capacity to accommodate 460 students and is equipped with classrooms, science and ICT laboratories, administrative offices, girls’ facilities, and sports infrastructure.
In the same province, more than 8,000 residents received free medical services during a large-scale outreach at Munini Hospital in Nyaruguru District. Nationwide, similar interventions reached over 30,000 beneficiaries.
In Gisagara District, 80 duplex housing units were completed, providing shelter for 160 vulnerable families under the “2-in-1” housing model.
In the Northern Province, 10 newly constructed houses were handed over to vulnerable families in Rulindo District by Minister in charge of Emergency Management Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Albert Murasira, Chief of Reserve Force Maj. Gen. Alex Kagame, and Northern Province Police Commander ACP Edmond Kalisa.
Another 12 families received new homes in Gakenke District during a separate handover ceremony attended by Chief Justice Domitilla Mukantaganzwa and Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Mubarakh Muganga.
Gen. Muganga said the strong cooperation among Rwanda’s security institutions remains central to maintaining national stability.
“Rwandans should never worry about their security because our security institutions work together every day to keep the country safe,” he said.
In the Western Province, 30 vulnerable families in Nyabihu District received newly built and fully furnished houses valued at approximately Rwf15 million each.
Authorities also handed over boats to communities in Nyamasheke and Rusizi districts to improve transport and facilitate trade across Lake Kivu.
Prime Minister Dr. Justin Nsengiyumva said the initiatives reflect the strong partnership between security institutions and citizens, describing it as a cornerstone of Rwanda’s peace and stability.
In the Eastern Province, vulnerable families in Rwinkwavu Sector, Kayonza District, received new homes, while households in Nyamugari and Nasho sectors in Kirehe District benefited from a livestock distribution programme, with about 900 goats distributed to support income generation and food security.
The nationwide projects underscore the expanding role of the RDF and Rwanda National Police in supporting socio-economic transformation, reinforcing the principle that national security and development are mutually reinforcing.
