Government is reviewing ubudehe categories in five districts to reflect the current economic status.

Launched on August 30, the review which is being piloted in Nyarugenge, Gicumbi, Gisagara, Rulindo and Rutsiro districts aims at informing decisions regarding welfare support.It will see the social categories reduced from six to four.

"The reason behind having only four categories is that in the previous six, two categories were almost similar with only slight differences,” Clarisse Mukaneza, the head of statistics in Nyarugenge District explained.

"The review is meant to reflect the current economic status which is generally rising due to several government initiatives geared at empowering poor families such as Girinka (cattle stocking programme),” Mukaneza said.

She said enumerators and the public have been sensitised on the new system where a single questionnaire is used to detail personal information and a village panel helps to decide on the final category of particular individuals in their localities.

Speaking to The New Times, one of the local leaders, Justin Rutikanga, of Kabahizi cell in Gitega Sector, said the process is smooth as no resident claimed being wrongly assessed.

Though the district is yet to release figures in each category, reports indicate that most of the residents might fall in category two.

"I was placed in the second category based on my retail charcoal business and residential house. I have seen few people in the third and fourth categories and nobody has claimed to be in the wrong category,” said Mary Mujawayezu, a resident of Gitega Sector.

During this year’s Governance Month, the Ministry for Local Government and Social Affairs, Francis Kaboneka, emphasised the need to have ubudehe classification well implemented.

Changing categories, naming

The first category regards those without a residential house, unable to rent, hardly able to get food and other domestic materials, while the second includes those with a residential house, are able to rent but scarcely get work and eat once or twice a day.

The third category comprises people who are employed or are employers. This category includes farmers who even reserve for market or those with small and medium enterprises.

The fourth category, on the other hand, comprises big businesses, people working in organisations, industries or companies, public employees, owners of malls, trucks or big employers, according to Mukaneza.

Since 2008, the Government has been using six categories namely umutindi nyakujya (those in abject poverty), umutindi (the very poor), umukene (the poor), umukene wifashije (the resourceful poor), umukungu (with abundant food), umukire (the rich), which have been used in determining who is eligible to get services like health insurance, university scholarships, and cows.

Mukaneza added that new categories in Nyarugenge District will be released before the end of next month.

The new categories will start being operational in July next year.

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