EASTERN PROVINCE Mayors of districts in the Eastern Province have resolved to enforce the ban on the construction of the old fashioned grass thatched houses, next year. This was revealed during the presentation of the 2008 performance contracts recently in Kayonza. However, a number of residents have received the proposed move with mixed feelings. Claver Kamurasi, a 68-year-old farmer in Rwinkwavu, Kayonza district, says the move is good, but an iron sheet roofed house is out of his reach economically. “I don’t know where I will get the money to be in such a house but I believe that with the collaboration of our leaders I will make it. I will be happy to leave a grass thatched house.” Kamurasi noted that there are some poor people who need to be helped to move out of huts. Reacting on the worries of residents, the area Governor, Dr Ephraim Kabayija, said it is possible to eliminate huts in the region as long as all those relocating to the area are ready to build iron roofed houses. The governor said district leaders are ready to enforce the ban to ensure that there is no hut in the area by the end of the year. According to Kabayija, people moving to villages from towns are the ones undermining the success of the move. “Normally rural urban migration is known, but here we face urban-rural migration. This makes the new comers (from Kigali) construct grass thatched houses after our efforts to do away with them,” he said. Kabayija, said no persons would be helped to put up the required houses, except the vulnerable. Meanwhile, MP Constance Rwaka Mukayuhi, advised leaders to include in their performance contracts strategies of managing government funds. “It is very important but there has not been coordination between different authorities on how to use government funds,” she said. On livelihoods, MP Theonest Safari urged leaders to revise means of using land to produce to its full capacity. He explained that people in some areas have food shortages- yet they live near wetlands. He cited Ndego as one of the areas where people have not utilised the nearby wetland. “There is need to adopt a policy that encourages the use of redundant land for productive purposes,” he noted. Ends
