EASTERN PROVINCE

BUGESERA—Genocide survivors in Nyamata have complained over the lack of transparency in registering beneficiaries of survivors’ residences.

This emerged recently after all survivors were called upon for a screening exercise at Nyamata youth centre to establish those who would be eligible for new, government-sponsored housing.

Bugesera has received a Frw130 million grant from the fund for Genocide survivors towards the construction of the houses. A survivor who asked not to be named said they felt slighted by authorities.

"I don’t understand the criteria used in selecting beneficiaries; if you don’t have a known spokesperson to plead your case it is difficult to include your name on the list.”

"Whenever they invite me for their exercises it just serves to remind me of my ordeal.”

The survivors allege that some people who are not eligible for the houses were the ones included on the list of beneficiaries; some of whom had gotten houses before but had not yet occupied them.

Another said she was living in a ‘dilapidated’ house but she was left out on the list of the new beneficiaries.
Claims were not independently verified.

Executive secretary of Nyamata sector Chantal Uwanyirigira, who led a team of cell and Imidugudu leaders during the screening exercise, denied the allegations, saying the screening was done in an "open and transparent” method.

"All the people were there, there was no hidden criterion,” she said.

District vice mayor in charge of social affairs Isabella Mucyowera said she had not received official complaints from any of the aggrieved.

Mucyowera admitted that in the past the exercise would be marred with irregularities, but said that this time all lists from sector levels would be rescreened to ensure genuine beneficiaries received the genuine support.

"We shall verify all the lists for effective control. The beneficiaries even if they are orphans in school must be available and able to locate their plots of land.”

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