EASTERN PROVINCE

GATSIBO — Kiziguru Sector in Gatsibo District has drafted a new policy that seeks to protect cattle.

According to the Sector Executive Secretary John Baptist Mutabazi the new policy requires residents to start paying health insurance (mutuelle de Sante) fees for their cattle in order to ensure regular treatment.

Mutabazi said this during a ceremony where Plan Rwanda donated 124 Frisian heifers to 124 families in Kiziguro Sector on Tuesday. According to Mutabazi the beneficiaries were drawn from all the four cells of the Sector.

"Some times our people don’t have money for drugs for their cows.  So, after paying this fee, the residents will be assured of immediate medication for their sick animals,” Mutabazi said.

"We have seen some cases where our people have lost their cows because they don’t have money to buy drugs immediately. But after paying ‘mutuelle’ every person will get immediate medications from the farmer’s cooperative,” he added. 

Mutabazi said that the farmers’ cooperative has suggested Frw2000 per person for the period of four months. Adding that after confirming the fee for every person, the services will start next month. The cells include: Ndatemwa, Agakomeye, Rubona and Mbogo.

Dr. Mamadoli Kante, Plan Rwanda country director called upon the beneficiaries to use heifer’s products to fight against poverty.

"This project will end but I want you to reap much from this donation even after the end of the project. I am sure you will benefit much from these cows when you look after them very well”, Kante told the beneficiaries at the function.

As part of the arrangement, all beneficiaries are supposed to give out one local heifer to the sector in order to be donated to other residents.

Commenting bout the donation, John Murego, Gatsibo District Mayor said that the heifers will help to increase household income for the benefited families.

He said the livestock programme was allocated to Kiziguro residents because it is the sector that was selected in the district as the model.

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