The Vice Mayor of Rusizi District in Charge of Economic Development, Ndagijimana Louis Munyemanzi, has resigned from his post, and three other district councilors, citing "personal reasons”.
This was announced during an extraordinary meeting held by the District Council on Tuesday, April 2, after reviewing their resignation letters.
Other district councilors who resigned from their responsibilities are Joséphine Mukarugwiza, Head of the Social Affairs Commission, Jean Damascène Habiyakare, Head of the District Council Audit Committee, and Giovani Fidele Kwizera, the Vice President of the Rusizi District Council.
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According to Monique Uwimana, Secretary of the District Council, the resignations of the four councilors are linked to personal reasons as per their letters.
"We received their resignation letters as district councilors, resigning from even other separate responsibilities, we reviewed them in that way based on the cited personal reasons, as councilors, we confirmed their resignations,” she said while briefing journalists.
"When someone has shown their interest in resignation under personal reasons, there is no reason to hold them; it can result in poor performance.”
Asked if the resignation wouldn’t affect the district's performance, she said the remaining members would cover the gap and look for a way forward as per the law.
"It is true, like any other district across Rwanda, councilors are always 17. It means that when one is missing, their position is empty, and their responsibilities are shared by their colleagues to avoid any gap. There could be a gap, as councilors will be overwhelmed,” she added.
Uwimana further said that the remaining district council is "going to see what the law provides and what it says when a councilor resigns and then implement it.”
The development comes following another resignation by Beatrice Uwumukiza who was the Head of the Rusizi District Council.
She resigned after reportedly having a misunderstanding with the district’s mayor, Anicet Kibiriga, in a case linked to the commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Kamembe and Mururu sectors, and the Genocide memorial site in Nyarushishi village, Nkungu sector.