NYABIHU – Residents of Nyabihu district who were evacuated from Gishwati forest zone have been offered alternative plots of land for settlement and cultivation.

A land commission headed by Gen. Fred Ibingira which was set up two weeks ago, in partnership with the district, identified possible resettlement land in Nyabihu and Musanze districts.

According to the Frank Kobukeye, Nyabihu vice Mayor, 98 families will be resettled on part of the land belonging to Mukamira Military barracks in Bigogwe sector.

While families with land for cultivation will remain at Kijote cell in Bigogwe sector, where they have been since they were evacuated from Gishwati. 

Kobukeye said that the government provided over Rwf56m to support the displaced families - providing iron sheets and bricks for construction.

"The government has come to our rescue, we had nowhere to cultivate,’’ Celestin Ngango, one of the beneficiaries said.

There are over 1000 families still occupying parts of the "high risk” zone of Gishwati forest, yet to be evicted.

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