EASTERN PROVINCE
 
NGOMA — The vice mayor in charge of social affairs, Josephine Mutesayire has asked leaders to construct houses for vulnerable residents as a matter of urgency.

Mutesayire noted that building materials have not been got from the ministry of local government, but leaders should not use it as an excuse.

"We are yet to receive the iron sheets, but this does not mean that we should sit back and relax,” Mutesayire said.

Addressing a meeting of sector executive secretaries yesterday, Mutesayire urged the leaders to engage the beneficiaries in the exercise. Police officers and other district officials attended the meeting.

The call comes days after the Local Government minister, Protais Musoni, issued a deadline within which to complete houses for the vulnerable members across the country.

Close to 184 houses are to be built for the identified vulnerable residents among them Genocide survivors, orphans and the elderly. 

"The beneficiaries are just there relaxing, waiting to occupy complete houses; this is because you have not involved them. We should help people who help themselves.”

She however, warned that there are people who claim to be vulnerable when they are not, and urged leaders to carry out serious screening to weed out such people. The sectors are holding fundraising drives to raise money to settle the identified vulnerable residents.

Mutesayire said: "We should do our best as we wait for the government grant.”

Every resident in the district is supposed to contribute Frw100 towards the exercise, to supplement what may be raised through fundraising.

In a separate interview with The New Times, Mutesayire said they intend to have addressed the problem of housing for vulnerable residents before the end of March.

"We hope to raise something big from these ongoing fundraisings, to be used in this exercise. We were supposed to receive the iron sheets before this week ends, but up to now there is no sign.” she said.

"We have very many Genocide survivors who were left out after screening, but if we get the government materials, then we will consider those who were left out.”

During the meeting, members resolved to dedicate communal work [Umuganda] scheduled for Saturday February 23, to building houses for the vulnerable.

Francois Niyotwagira, the district mayor, challenged leaders to fulfill what their offices entail them.

Ends