WESTERN PROVINCE

Heavy downpours that have been persisting in Western Province may be destroying roads that connect the tourist destination to Kigali, Rubavu’s district mayor has said.

Mayor Ramadan Baringayabo said that if the rains persisted, the road from Gisenyi to the capital in the centre of the country, could be partially lost.

The mayor made the statement while visiting Bigogwe camp, where 1700 who have lost homes and property due to the flood are temporarily cared for, as government is tries to resettle them.

"We originally had a poor and worn-out road. The recent floods have made it worse to the extent that there is a possibility that if the rains continue, vehicles might fail to cross to Gisenyi and the neighbouring Goma,” Baringayabo said.

The worst hit areas are Kanzenze and Bigogwe sectors of Rubavu and Nyabihu respectively where parts of the road have been eaten out by the running waters and soils made feeble and soft by the floods that roofed parts of the road.

The Minister of Infrastructure, in a recent visit to the area, promised that the road would be worked upon as soon as possible.

"The constructors should starts work and as soon as possible and starting with the most affected places” said Minister Stanislas Kamanzi.

"This is a very important road connecting Western Province and government already had plans of rehabilitating it even before the floods,” he said.

The government has signed a contract with STRBAG which will begin its work in November this year. Work was in primary stages, such as taking measurements along the road. Real construction, he said, would start soon.

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