Tanzania evictees to get permanent homes

Rwandans who were evicted from Tanzanian will be moved to their permanent homes by March, the Ministry of Disaster Preparedness and Refugees Affairs Permanent Secretary Antoine Ruvebana, said on Monday. Ruvebana said the ministry is providing construction materials while districts are identifying land where to construct the housing units. Over 5,830 evictees were last month temporarily moved from Kiyanzi and Rukara transit centre in the Eastern Province where they had been sheltered after they were banished from Kagera region in neighbouring Tanzania. They are temporarily hosted in various districts in the country. About 14,253 crossed into Rwanda following their controversial expulsion from Tanzania in August. A total of 8,361 have since reunited with their families in various parts of the country. “The next phase is to relocate them from the current temporary residences to permanent homes,” Ruvebana said. He said they had started distributing some scholastic materials to children and were considering providing them with health insurance (Mituelles de santé). Some districts have already commenced the construction of houses for the evictees. All districts were given a three-month period to reintegrate the evictees. Rubavu District mayor Sheikh Hassan Bahame said the process will be completed within two months. “We have already hired a contractor who will work alongside the district,” Bahame said. He said his district will put up 32 houses for the 60 people who were relocated there. Gideon Ruboneza, Ngororero District mayor, said they had identified land in various sectors, including Kavumu, Ngororero and Muhororo where 35 houses for 101 people, currently living in former school buildings in Kavumu sector will be built. He said he is optimistic all the evictees will be resettled in the next two months. Ruboneza said the district is employing the evictees in VUP programmes, a national anti-poverty scheme through which the poor receive support from the government. UN agencies such as World Food Programme, Unicef and United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) are providing the evictees with basic necessities. Nyarugenge mayor Solange Mukasonga said those relocated to her district will be resettled in Kanyinya, Mageragere and Nyarugenge sectors. She said 27 houses will be constructed, starting next month. Mukasonga said they held a meeting with stakeholders, including religious leaders, and agreed to monitor and follow up on the evictees on a daily basis to ensure they access basic needs.

National

Tanzania evictees to get permanent homes