The Government will work fast enough to construct more feeder roads, a health centre and extend electricity and faster internet in Gakenke District to strengthen good service delivery.

President Paul Kagame made the promises, yesterday, while meeting residents at Nemba playground, where thousands gathered to welcome and interact with him.

Kagame is on a three-day tour of Northern and Western provinces, which will also take him to Rubavu District.Kagame thanked Gakenke residents for the development they have achieved in different areas so far, encouraged the citizens and local leaders to act faster to improve production and services to achieve what they need.

"Producing under capacity or tardiness is not acceptable. We cannot be satisfied until we reach our full potential,” Kagame said.

In Gakenke District, only 15.2 per cent of households have access to electricity.

The Head of State pointed to the need to connect more people to power, acknowledging that 15 per cent is still low.

The government will do "everything possible to provide you with whatever we can provide.”

Pascaline Nambajimana, 25, who walked for an hour to reach Nemba playground, said the President’s promises resonated with her wishes, as power was her most burning issue, in addition to demand for cows for poor families.

"I am happy to receive the Head of State. I am excited because it’s for the second time I am going to see him,” she said in an interview shortly before the President arrived in Nemba yesterday.

Under the One-Cow-Per-Poor Family plan, a government-funded programme, 10,108 cows have been distributed to Gakenke residents and have helped to halve extreme poverty in the district, from 30.9 per cent in the last three years to 16.2 per cent today, according to the district mayor Deogratias Nzamwita.

President Kagame said government will further improve its services to the citizens mostly through fighting corruption among some local officials who retain resources given to people through the government’s social protection programmes.

"There will be no tolerance for mismanagement of resources that should be used for the benefit of citizens. What is planned for the people, they should get it. Nothing should end up as personal wealth for their leaders,” he said.

The President promised that Gatonde health centre, which the government agreed to build back in 1999 but hasn’t been delivered so far, will be constructed as soon as possible.

"I want this issue to get out of the way as soon as possible,” Kagame said to his Cabinet ministers.

The President promised that the government will also address other issues in the area such as slow internet, feeder roads, and access to seeds.

In Gakenke, the President interacted with residents who told him about their wishes and challenges, which he addressed by putting officials to task.

The three-day trip is part of the President’s routine meetings with citizens across the country during which he meets and interacts with people, focusing on issues of governance and development.

In Rubavu, the President will meet with citizens in Mudende today and meet with opinion leaders and will end the northern province tour with a meeting with residents in Nyundo.

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