Senior officials from the central, local government and security agencies have pledged robust measures to turn Nyabarongo River waters blue from the muddy brown that it is presently. 

The decision was arrived at following a survey by officials from the Ministry of Natural Resources, together with Rwanda National Police’s Environmental Protection Unit.

The study, which revealed gross pollution of the country’s longest river, was presented yesterday to a consultative meeting that brought together several cabinet ministers, senior military and police officers and local government officials.

The meeting heard that much of what causes pollution that has left the waters in the state they are in today are human activities like illegal mining and encroachment on both river banks that has caused gross erosion.

Natural phenomenon, unsustainable agriculture without soil protection, landslides, heavy river sedimentation, domestic and industrial discharges, clearing of natural vegetable and river flow disturbances are among the issues resulting into Nyabarongo river contamination, according to officials.

The Minister for Natural Resources, Dr Vincent Biruta, said: "If we dealt with human activities, we would reduce the damages by 30 per cent. If we ensure that the public abides by the buffer zone limitations we would also save another 30 per cent at almost no cost.”

Several officials called for complete ownership of the procession of turning Nyabarongo blue. However, one of the challenges presented at the meeting is the involvement of some officials in activities, like mining, that affect the river.

Minister Biruta gave a green light to local leaders to suspend any company found culpable in damaging environment.

Empowering Police unit

In a similar development, Defence minister James Kabarebe called for the empowerment of Rwanda National Police’s Environmental Protection Unit to spearhead to protection programme.

"This unit should be given all the resources, manpower and equipment necessary to conduct thorough investigations into suspected environmental crimes and hold every responsible person to account,” said Gen Kabarebe.

"This issue should be solved and police should be responsible of following up local leaders to ensure they implement the agreed on measures.”

The Inspector General of Police, Emmanuel Gasana, expressed the need to move faster and swiftly in cleaning up Nyabarongo river, saying if the river is not preserved urgently it may not be easy for the future generation to reverse the problems.

"We must make this a priority and own the process of saving the situation. If we are to have a second hydropower plant on Nyabarongo river as it is planned, then we need to clean it up; we can’t invest in such infrastructures and let them be destroyed,” he said.

The Police chief detailed what the Force has done in line with environmental protection and promised that a lot more will be done in partnership with stakeholders like the public, government institutions and NGOs.

During the meeting, several stakeholders agreed to enter into a new partnership that would lead to a complete cleaning up of the river.

Police also pledged to work with other agencies to increase enforcement of mining activities as well as increase its awareness campaigns against environmental degradation.

The officials also agreed to protect plants on river banks against early cutting or cattle grazing, putting river banks protection in performance contracts of local authorities, increase afforestation and agro-forestry on hillsides around Nyabarongo and its tributaries, and regular monitoring of water quality for progress checking.

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