Rwandan members of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) who visited the Nemba One Stop Border Post (OSBP) in Bugesera District Friday vowed to look into why the border staff lack suitable accommodation and other facilities.

The construction of the OSBP on the Rwanda-Burundi border which started in 2010 was financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) – which injected in $45 million – but ever since its establishment, staffers complain of lack of better housing, among other things. 

"What is there presently allows them to operate; in form of offices, and other things but they are short of important facilities such as accommodation,” MP Dr. James Ndahiro, told Sunday Times shortly after their tour.

"And one wonders; who designed it and why was it done that way? There are people who should be answering those questions.”

Lawmakers as well heard that apart from the fact that cross-border trade has suffered largely because of insecurity in neighboring Burundi, authorities from Bujumbura do not duly commit to agreed cost-sharing for maintenance and in paying for things such as fuel, water and electricity bills for running the shared facility. 

Border officials talked to the lawmakers, at length, about the insecurity and constant "provocation” emanating from Burundi, including robbery and cattle rustling.

It is not possible, lawmakers heard, to retrieve stolen material goods or animals as authorities in Burundi are usually not cooperative in tracking and punishing the thieves. The theft, it is claimed, is coordinated by local authorities from the other side of the border, and this makes the situation more complex. 

"Cows and motorcycles are stolen in a pattern that looks organized and coordinated at local administrative level,” Aime Gaspard Sindahabi, the Rwandan border manager, told lawmakers.

A police officer told lawmakers that in the past three months alone, Rwandans have seen 25 cows stolen by criminals from Burundi. 

"We shall discuss with Rwandan authorities the issues which concern us as Rwandans but as regards those issues concerning the bigger EAC, we shall report back to the Assembly,” Ndahiro told the border officials. 

The Assembly’s recommendations will be forwarded to the EAC Council of Ministers for appropriate action. 

editorial@newtimes.co.rw