Executive Secretaries of Sectors across the country will be assisted to purchase vehicles before end of this year to facilitate their duties.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government, Cyrille Turatsinze, made the announcement during an interview with The New Times.

The officials have, since 2006, been using motorcycles as their means of transport to carry out their daily activities.

 "The Cabinet recently approved a resolution to help the officials acquire loans to buy their personal cars and this is aimed at enabling them to accelerate various government programs and service delivery in their respective sectors,” Turatsinze said.

He added that the beneficiaries would be allowed to buy vehicles worth a maximum of Rwf 8 million, adding that the central government would cover the tax charges. The administrators are expected to service their loans within four years.

The PS further pointed out that the funds to procure the vehicles are earmarked in the 2011-2012 national budget.

Speaking to The New Times yesterday, Theophile Niragire, the Executive Secretary of Kimironko Sector in Gasabo District said: "Though we are all committed and happy with our jobs, we have been working under dofficult conditions due to the nature of our duties and I thank government for the incentive”.

He added that their duties require them to work outside their offices and to hold several meetings with residents. He observed that the vehicles would enable them to work closely with local communities on a daily basis.

The Executive Secretary of Nyakabuye Sector in Rusizi District in the Western Province Chantal Uwimbabazi, was elated.

"I am very happy because it will greatly ease our work as it has been difficult to carry out our activities using motorbikes due to dust during the dry seasons and rain during the rainy seasons and I believe it will also spur development.”

 Jean Xavier Kalisa, the Executive Secretary of Gikomero sector, Gasabo District said that the initiative would reduce road accidents involving motorcycles used by the administrators’.

The beneficiaries will acquire the loans to buy the vehicles through several banks the districts decide on. So far, Gasabo District has settled for Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB).

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