The phasing out of thatched housing (Nyakatsi), has attained a 92 percent completion rate countrywide, officials in charge of the campaign announced.

However, the head of the Rural Settlement Task Force at the Ministry of Local Government, Augustine Kampayana, revealed that some districts have fallen short of targets.

These include Rusizi, Nyamasheke, Musanze, Burera and Gicumbi .

Kampayana noted that during the process of phasing out thatched houses, they were challenged by people’s mindset on Nyakatsi, inadequate manpower to construct houses for the most vulnerable people, and difficult terrains in some areas of the Northern and Western provinces.

"The districts had set themselves the deadline of May 31, 2011, to have completed phasing out Nyakatsi, but the official deadline set up by the government was, June 30 and over 20 districts have achieved the target,” Kampayana said.

"The remaining districts are at 95 percent completion and are continuing to put on the final touches on the construction of decent houses to be given to vulnerable beneficiaries up to 30, June,” he added.

"By the end of June, the phasing out of Nyakatsi will be complete, and I am very optimistic.”

"By the start of the year, we had a target of constructing 47,000 houses for vulnerable people; so far we have constructed 42,000 and we are remaining with 5,000 houses to be constructed, which we hope to have accomplished before the June deadline.”

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