Akanyaru residents want use of IDs across Rwanda-Burundi border

Residents around Akanyaru/Kanyaru Haut border area have appealed to the East African Community leaders to speed up the use of national identity cards at that border for easier movement. The call was made by residents and users of the border on Thursday during the ongoing sensitisation of border communities on EAC Integration processes, by the Ministry in charge of East African Community (Mineac). Akanyaru border links Rwanda to Burundi. Since January this year, Rwanda, Uganda and Kenyan citizens can use national IDs or student and voters cards to travel to each of the three countries. Hussein Ntezirizoza, a Burundian who was crossing into Rwanda said: “We are told that there is regional integration. Other borders allow citizens to use national IDs to move from one country to another which is not the case here,” he said. Jules Habumugisha, the executive secretary of Ngoma Sector, Nyaruguru District (where the haut lies), believes the implementation of a One-Stop Border Post at this border will ease the existing barriers. Innocent Safari, the permanent secretary at Mineac, told the residents that use of National IDs shall be launched soon. “Burundi accepted the use of National IDs and the service will soon be launched here as well,” he said. Safari further assured the residents that One-Stop Border Post Control, at Akanyaru/Kanyaru Haut will be ready in two years time, adding that the border operational time will also be increased from current 12 hours to 24 hours. The Akanyaru/Kanyaru Haut border post project is part of the Northern Transport Corridor programme funded to a tune of $3m grant by the African Development Bank. It is expected to start in May 2015 and be completed in November 2016.