Mukabaramba pledges to support tea farmers

GICUMBI - Dr. Alivera Mukabaramba, the Presidential contender on the Party for Progress and Concord (PPC) ticket, yesterday, pledged to support Mulindi tea farmers get value for their produce, if she sails through the election.

Saturday, July 31, 2010
Mukabaramba addressing party supporters at Maya village on Friday. (Photo: A.Gahene)

GICUMBI - Dr. Alivera Mukabaramba, the Presidential contender on the Party for Progress and Concord (PPC) ticket, yesterday, pledged to support Mulindi tea farmers get value for their produce, if she sails through the election.

Mukabaramba was addressing a rally of about 250 party faithful at Maya village in Cyumba Sector, Gicumbi District.
She spoke in a hoarse voice and excused herself, saying she had a lot of fatigue resulting from daily campaign rallies countrywide.

"Tea farmers are paid peanuts for their produce, yet tea is one of Rwanda’s top export cash crops. Tea farmers’ concern of getting what is equivalent to the value of their crops will be my priority if elected President,” said Mukabaramba.

She further pledged to rehabilitate the Kigali- Gatuna highway as soon as she is elected President because the road is in poor condition, yet it is the gateway to goods destined to Rwanda from neighboring countries and beyond.

Regarding provision of social amenities, Mukabaramba said her other priority areas would include provision of free education from nursery to high school level.

"Illiteracy and ignorance are a hindrance to development of a country, which is why more resources will be channelled in the education sector if you elect me as your President,” she added, amidst applause and cheering from party supporters.  

PPC party campaign manager, legislator Jean Thierry Karemera, highlighted some of the issues in the party’s manifesto, including provision of health insurance to all Rwandans, increase agriculture and livestock farmers’ cooperative societies in the country and promote cooperation with neighbourliness countries among others.

Valens Murangira, a party supporter from Mukarange Sector, said he supports the party because it is led by a woman, stressing that in the Rwandan culture, women have been regarded as the pillars of households, which he said would make her a better leader.

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