Muhanga mayor outlines priorities

Muhanga District plans to build low-cost housing units for residents as part of its priorities this fiscal year. The district has a budget of Rwf14.6 billion for the 2015/16 fiscal year, of which 57 per cent will be used on socio-economic development in the rural areas, while the rest will be used for the same purpose in the urban areas. Speaking at a news conference in Muhanga District on Tuesday, the district mayor Yvonne Mutakwasuku, said the move is in line with the government’s plan to ensure decent housing as well as provision of utilities such as electricity and water. “We have been expropriating poor families. But now, we have devised a new mechanism after realising that after evicting those people it becomes complicated for us to connect them to basic infrastructure such as water and electricity. We have since realised that middle income earners can live in the same place with higher income categories and share same facilities,” she noted. Mutakwasuku said houses to accommodate at least 25 households will be constructed. The project will be funded by the district budget. The district also targets to get Rwf1.5 billion in domestic taxes. ‘‘The construction will be done by RDF reserve forces which has proved to be cost-effective,’’ she said. The houses will be built in Munyinya.The most vulnerable people will be given houses free of charge, but others will be mortgaged and pay in installments. “We are studying the repayment modalities in a way that it can be done over a long period of between five to 10 years,” she adds. Each structure will accomodate four families, and it will be worth between Rwf36 and Rwf38 million. Each unit will be built with durable material, with four semi-houses each with three rooms, a dining room and annexes; and connected to electricity and water supplies, according to the mayor. Meanwhile, the mayor said this financial year, the district also plans to build a 2.7 kilo metre tarmac road which will stretch from the district offices to Muhanga Stadium. Other activities to be carried out include entrepreneurship promotion and youth empowerment, agriculture development and environment protection, education and social protection. Mutakwasuku said a 32 kilometre road from Kibangu to Muvumba, will also be built. It is the second phase of Rugendabari-Kibangu laterite road. There is also the Mbuga-Mpimbi laterite road which was promised by the President last year with 34 kilo metre due to be constructed this year. The road is meant to make the sectors of Nyabinoni, Kiyumba and Rongi more accessible. For agriculture, the mayor said there will be reinforcement of the land use consolidation programme and selected crops, including maize, cassava, beans and Irish potatoes, which will go along with the provision of cows for manure for land. She also said plans are in the pipeline to achieve effective post-harvest handling. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Muhanga mayor outlines priorities