RUBAVU - A project to construct over 150 houses for families set to be relocated from the banks of River Sebeya, in Rubavu District, has stalled due to labour constraints.

Two months ago, the Ministry of Natural Resources launched the project in an effort to conserve the river that is endangered by human activity.

According to Minister Stanisilas Kamanzi, the plan to use communal labour and prisoners is not working out.

"We lacked the manpower to construct houses. We employed former prisoners on Works for General Service, TIG, but most of them have grown old and weak,” Kamanzi said.

TIG prisoners are those who serve sentences for crimes related to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

The Minister, however, challenged the district authorities to speed up the construction process, so that the families leave the river banks within one month.

"The objective of conserving Sebeya River is to have clean water as well as increase the volume of the river,” Kamanzi emphasised.

The government has already resettled 100 families.

Over 450 out of 510 hectares along the river banks in the districts of Rubavu, Rutsiro and Ngororero have been planted with trees to help conserve the river.

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