RUBAVU – Rubavu District residents have ushered in the New Year without an elected mayor after Ramadhan Barengayabo threw in the towel.

The district advisory committee approved Barengayabo’s resignation request on Monday.
According to sources at the district, Barengayabo said in his resignation letter that he was quitting in order to go for further studies. A source said he only has a senior six certificate.

However, speculation is rife in the district especially in Gisenyi town – the seat of the district – that Barengayabo could have been forced to resign by Western Province authorities due to non-performance. But the provincial governor Penelope Kantarama dismissed the speculations describing them as mere rumours.

"Ramadhan has been a good leader and very ambitious; he resigned because he wants to go for further studies in Kenya. The law allows leaders to officially resign especially if they have good reasons such as further studies which would even help them become better leaders in future” she explained.

The chairman of the district advisory committee, Richard Mberabagabo, who also chaired the meeting that approved the mayor’s resignation, said the committee had accepted Barengayabo’s request after finding out that he had followed the standard resignation procedures.

 "We examined his letter and found it necessary to let him go for further studies as he had requested. I would like on behalf of the committee to thank him for his good work and to ask him to always advise the district authorities on administrative issues because he has been an exemplary leader,” he said. 

He said that Barengayabo had achieved a lot during his leadership citing improvement of people’s welfare, good governance, infrastructure and education.

Barengayabo reportedly said he plans to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in a Kenyan college for two years after which he would undertake a Masters course in the same country.

The district officer in charge of Good Governance, Martin Habimana, said that the district appointed the vice mayor in charge of economic development, Evariste Bizimana, as the acting mayor pending by-elections for Barengayabo’s replacement.
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