GICUMBI - Congolese refugees living at Gihembe refugee camp have at last received the food rations, after facing a two months food shortage.

Speaking to The New Times, the World Food Program (WFP) senior program Assistant based in Kigali, Viateur Ngiruwonsanga, said the refugees have received maize, beans, cooking oil and salt, enough for the month of April.

Ngiruwonsanga said that, though the refugees had run short of food supplies for the last couple of months, beans supplies were readily available. "It is only the maize grains that were exhausted from our stocks, which have now been procured.”

The Ministry of Local government representative at the camp, Mark Shakagabo, said the refugees received maize flour in stead of maize grains for the month of April, in addition to cooking oil and salt.

"These refugees prefer having beans and maize grains to be supplied on time, since it constitutes their full diet. They cannot feed on beans alone,” Shakagabo said.

The refugees’ food shortage was  reported by Gicumbi district vice Mayor for Social Affairs Eugenie Uwamahoro, during a meeting at the district with Northern Province Governor Aime Bosenibamwe.

The meeting had brought together all provincial administrative executive organs, to evaluate development activities.

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