James Katunge grew up wanting to be a teacher.

Committed to achieving this dream, James completed a bachelor’s degree in business education from a university in Uganda. Life, however, had other plans for him.

One of 238 police officers that make up the Rwanda Formed Police Unit based in Malakal, South Sudan, James’ journey is one of determination and resilience.

“I was born in Tanzania. My parents fled the conflict in Rwanda at its peak and sought refuge there,” says the officer, “We later moved to Uganda.”

James and his family were fortunate and escaped one of the darkest episodes in the history of Rwanda, having managed to leave the country before the genocide. Other relatives and loved ones weren’t that lucky.

But his struggles were only beginning as he was unable to find a job in Uganda despite being qualified. He and his friends then made a tough call – they were going to return to Rwanda.

“At the time, President Kagame was leading the country and he appealed to the Rwandan diaspora to return and rebuild the country,” reveals James. “I was deeply moved and decided to heed his call. That was also when I made the decision to become a police officer – serving and protecting people seemed to be the way I could best contribute to my my nation.”

James joined the police force as a cadet and quickly rose through the ranks to his current position as Inspector of Police. His education set him apart and his fluency in English meant that his application to join UNMISS was immediately accepted. In Malakal, he serves as the unit’s Liaison Officer.

“This has been a tough tour,” he says as he reflects on his year in South Sudan. “The COVID-19 lockdown meant we could not interact as much as we wanted with the local community. Making sure we were operationally agile while keeping ourselves and others safe was difficult; it’s not easy to build peace, trust and confidence when you’re hiding behind a mask.”

James is somber when he reflects on incidents when their patrol vehicles were stoned, and officers injured in the line of duty.

However, his unit quickly adapted to changed circumstances on the ground. In the absence of effective internet connections, his team relied mostly on phone calls to keep on top of things. They depended on information from community leaders and watch groups and collaborated with humanitarian and military colleagues to fulfil UNPOL responsibilities in their vast area of responsibility.

The Rwanda Formed Police Unit in Malakal soon became a benchmark for being agile, nimble and robust, despite the pandemic, and for promoting gender parity within its ranks—31 women police officers currently serve with their male counterparts here.

Acting Head of the peacekeeping mission’s Malakal field office, Enos Chuma, commended Rwandan UNPOL at a recent medal parade: “Your women serve equally in the frontlines, making UNMISS patrols far more effective. This unit has displayed a remarkably high level of expertise and commitment in building partnerships with humanitarians and local communities to protect civilians and facilitate life-saving aid for those who need it the most.”

James, one of the recipients of the prestigious United Nations medal, says his dearest wish for everybody is that COVID-19 and its devastating impact worldwide comes to an end soon.  “And to my South Sudanese brothers and sisters I say, learn from Rwanda. You have relative peace now. Don’t focus on the things that divide you. Come together, unite and build a prosperous country.”