Dear Editor,

I appreciate the community work Umuganda which creates a clean and healthy environment. Umuganda has also made it possible for the construction of houses for the disabled and Genocide survivors and generally improved sanitation.

The community work also helps the districts to meet the required standards of the year’s performance contracts signed at the district level.

However, it has been noted that there is of late a poor turn-up of residents during the monthly community work. The low turn up is blamed on poor mobilisation by local leaders.

But actually the reason for this low turn up is the monotony. In same sectors, umuganda is even done every after two weeks. No one is against community work, but it is sometimes inconveniencing for the working class.

With umuganda and Gacaca days, the country is crowded with many holidays (No work). I suggest that community work be made optional and leave Gacaca for a single day specified by the national jurisdiction of Gacaca courts.

Even those who contribute financially during umuganda should be exempted from their bi-weekly community work the way it is done with night patrols.

Otherwise, people will literally have no time to make money and nothing to contribute to the sector and the entire nation.

Gatsibo