Italians Murri Marianna and family yesterday donated machines worth 2M Euros (Approx Rwf1.4bn) to the Kicukiro Colleague of Technology (KCT).

The donation was named in honour and memory of Murri Pietro, Marianna’s brother, who died during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. He had lived in Rwanda for over 43 years.

The Minister of Education, Daphrosa Gahakwa, who presided over the handing over ceremony that took place at the school in Kicukiro, called upon KCT students to transfer technical skills to other students all over the country.

"Now you have to prove what you can get out of this school and the newly acquired machines, get the best out of them to provide better services to the Rwandan public,” Gahakwa said.

She added that a technical school was the missing link and engineers in Rwanda have been employing technicians from neighbouring countries and paying them a lot of money which would no longer be the case with colleges like KTC in place.

"Our engineers are going to be happy now they have got working partners not from other countries but Rwanda,” she added.

The ceremony was also attended by State Minister in charge of Primary and Secondary Education, Theoneste Mutsindashyaka who said that the machines are not only a big opportunity to the KCT students but also the Rwandan public in general.

"These machines are capable of repairing all motor-vehicle engine parts so it is also an opportunity for the school to raise some funds out of it,” he added.

Mutsindashyaka also expressed his appreciation to the Murri family for the donation and urged the students to use these machines encouraging them to acquire skills to help them as well as the country develop.

Marianna who was also present at the ceremony and said she was privileged to present KCT with what her brother should have presented to them.

"Am just fulfilling what Pietro always wanted to do for this school and Rwanda in particular,” Marianna added.

Marianna also downplayed students’ worries in case the machines broke down; saying that technicians in Italy where the machine was made would make regular maintenance free of charge. 

KCT is at the same premises where ETO Kicukiro was.

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