KIGALI - The Minister of Environment and Lands, Stanislas Kamanzi, has called upon all garage owners and people who illegally encroach on wetlands to relocate their activities before they are forcefully evicted.

"We had successfully evicted many people from the wetlands, but slowly they came back,” Minister Kamanzi said.

"We shall now be forced to use force to discourage people from polluting wetlands which pose a threat to the lives of the whole population”.

He revealed that the wetland protection initiative will be enhanced by the fact that Rwanda had been chosen to host World Environment Day scheduled on June 5.

He noted that many areas in Nyabugogo and Kanombe wetlands have of late become prone to fierce floods because of the many activities concentrated in the wetlands around these areas.

"Wetlands serve as water filters which prevents these floods.”

"Garages that are established in Nyabugogo wetland and others areas have been disposing oily substances into the water t. We seek to put a stop to this habit very soon,” Kamanzi warned, however not giving a timeframe when it will be executed.

The minister commended the people of Gatsata, another city suburb who responded well to the call of protecting wetlands through a fundraising scheme they started to raise money and enable them relocate their garages from the wetland.

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