Thirty families in Busogo Sector, Musanze District, will soon be relocated from Mugogo lowland area that has been prone to flooding since 2007. According to Vincent Ndayambaje, the in-charge of social affairs in the district, consultations are underway with the Ministry of Natural Resources on the modalities to be followed. “We are identifying those to be relocated. Afterwards, we will provide the ministry with land where those families will be settled. I hope with this fiscal year the project will be implemented,” he said. Ezechiel Rukara, a resident, said relocating them would revive hope for better future because during the rainy season, they go to bed uncertain of whether their homes would still be standing by morning. Genevieve Mukarugwiza, an elderly woman, said floods have disorganised their welfare as they wreak havoc to their plantations. “We cultivate potatoes, cabbages or beans, but the soil floods before the plants mature. If they relocate us, we could be ensured of our security,” she said. Prince Ngabonziza, the coordinator of Reducing Vulnerability to Climate Change in North-western Rwanda through Community Based Adaptation (RV3CBA), a project that operates under the Ministry of Natural Resources, said the families would be relocated within the this financial year. “We are currently engaged in construction works for Nyabihu Green Village in Kabyaza Cell, Mukamira Sector. As for the families in that flooded area, talks with Musanze District are ongoing to identify where to settle them and proceed to expropriation,” he said. “Relocating the families to safer areas is in line with our intention to restore the ecosystem and reduce the incidence and harshness of flooding and landslides on local communities and resources.” Ngabonziza said they are also trying to introduce erosion and flood control measures, building the capacity of farmers to adapt to climate change and supporting the development of off-farm livelihoods to reduce the pressure on natural resources. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
