GATSIBO-Rwanda Animal Resources Development Authority (RARDA), early this week donated 73 cows to former local leaders in Gatsibo District.

According to RARDA officials, the donation was made to local leaders, whose cows were confiscated, after it was established that the cattle stocking initiative was shoddily implemented.

 "There are some leaders who illegally awarded themselves cows that were meant for needy residents. We took back these cows from them but we later realised that some local leaders were vulnerable and also deserved cows,” said Dr. Theogene Rutagwenda, the head of RARDA.

Rutagwenda said that about 1,600 local leaders would be given cows across the country.
Over 4,600 cows wrongly taken by local leaders during the Girinka programme were recovered.

Lestituta Uwimana, a former local leader, thanked President Paul Kagame for considering the needy local leaders.

 "We thank our President for considering us as part of the needy residents. We are ready to reap from these cows in very many ways,” she said.

The district Mayor, Ambrose Ruboneza, appealed to the beneficiaries to take good care of the cows and promised them a market for their milk products.

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