WESTERN PROVINCE

KIBUYE — Fourteen years after the genocide, Kibuye still lags behind due to the country’s history. As one approaches Rubengera, they start having a very clear view of Lake Kivu and the little hilly islands.

"Lake Kivu is an exclusive lake compared to any other lakes I have ever seen,” a white tourist who identified himself as Robster once said.

Lake Kivu being a rift valley lake gives it outstanding beauty: the sharp hills that surround the lake, the stones that makeup some islands plus the moderate temperatures are an additional advantage.

All these crown Kibuye as a number one place for tourism, a place that anyone would need to visit. Not only tourism, Kibuye has natural resources that would have made it one of the rich areas in Rwanda.

On several occasions many visit Kibuye expecting a lot more, only to find that it’s still as backward as other areas. Then why not use the naturally endowed gifts in the area to develop?

This has been a common question in many people’s minds for a long time. But residents themselves know what has hindered development in years and of course nothing less than the sectarian and genocide ideology that is yet to be stemmed out.

"It was only recently that the Kibuye –Kigali road was constructed,” said Narisis Kabanda a resident. He explains that a few years back, pot-holes characterized the road that it could take three and half hours to reach Kigali.

"I remember waking up very early in the morning at around 5:00 am to reach Kigali quite early.”

"When Kibuye got the gas methane factory construction of course we were pleased but if it had been constructed earlier we would have reaped a lot out of it,” said Tarisis Murengezi.

"But the government before the genocide played a lot in leaving Kibuye behind,” he continued.

The reason that most of the people give is that Kibuye was predominantly Tustis the reason the government simply hated and held back any developmental activities.

"No one from our ethnic group would be made a leader in the 1990’s,”said Kabanda. He explains that it is the same reason many Tustis were easily massacred in Bissesero.

"We managed at first to steal some guns from the killers but we hardly knew how to use them,” he said. If the government identified any Tutsi among wise men, they would plot to kill him, he continued. It is said the first victims of the genocide were killed because the government linked them to RPF soldiers.

Kibuye Hospital has just been renovated plus many other health centers put in place, otherwise it was regarded unfair under Habyarimana’s regime for Tustis in Kibuye to get any public services because of their ethnicity.

"We would be isolated in school which explains why most of us are not educated right now,” said Murengezi.

"Whenever any government officials visited, we could request for the construction of the road to Gisenyi but it was always neglectedl,” said Kabanda, adding, may be the Gatwaro Stadium is all what Kibuye would have to show.

A place with methane gas, a Lake, average soils would be far by now in terms of development. If at all anyone asks about why Kibuye is under developed up to now, the immediate answer is "Twarahejwe nyuma namateka.”-we were left behind because of history.

Kibuye town has been for years characterized by very dilapidated houses. Even big companies like transport agencies would do less than rent offices on those very poor structures.

The town currently has one fully built flat that has always been a hassle to get office premises there because it’s everybody’s priority. It’s only of recent when new structures started being constructed.

"We have seen great changes that we had never dreamt about, thank God we survived the genocide,” said Kabanda.
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