What’s Tanzania’s role in the construction of Rusumo Bridge?

Editor, I am delighted to have read the article, “Construction of $24m Rusumo Bridge begins” (The New Times, November 7).

Friday, November 08, 2013

Editor,I am delighted to have read the article, "Construction of $24m Rusumo Bridge begins” (The New Times, November 7).This is great news and it will surely have an economic impact between Rwanda and Tanzania. However, I have a concern: is Tanzania involved in one way or another in this ongoing construction of our joint border bridge?I say this because I remember what Colonel Musuya of the Tanzania Peoples Defence Forces told the BBC in 1994, when the then RPA-Inkotanyi soldiers – during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi – were struggling to capture the then Kibungo Prefecture.He said that TPDF were ready to intervene if the rebels (they were rebels in his eyes, instead of a formidable army determined to put an end to the genocide) captures or destroys the Rusumo Bridge.He went on that say that the bridge was built on Tanzanians’ sweat.Could someone react to this, please? Thank you.Kweyamba Kanyambo, Kigali