Life in the hillsides of Gatsata

It is as early as 7:00am in Nyabugogo town in the city suburbs. Fog hangs above the town hiding the tips of the surrounding hills and sky. It’s a bevy of activity as various vehicles involved in the public transport mill around and in Nyabugogo Taxi Park. However, my gaze into the horizon catches sight of smoke rising from numerous houses dotted on the nearby hillsides. One would think the smoke is the source of the fog. My gaze remains fixed on the hills of Gatsata, towering over Nyabugogo town, on which congested houses are perched. In that moment, I try to ponder on the possible lifestyle of the occupants of those living on such a steeply inclined landscape. I decide to go check out how they cope instead of just standing there and gazing. On my way to the inclined slope dwellings, I cross an old wooden bridge astride the rushing current of one of River Nyabalongo’s tributaries. At the foothill traders are strategically positioned with their petty merchandise where the uphill dwellers pass when heading to town. Seraphine Nyiransabimana whose shop is just a month old, is among the few with permanent premises for her business but she only has issues with rain so far. “When it rains, the place becomes muddy and people even fear coming to my shop,” she says. That might be peanuts compared to those without permanent structures and have to do business in the open. When it rains, they hurriedly seek shelter for themselves and their commodities. Dusabyimana, is among those who rush in search of shelter when it rains. “Rain water comes from the hills and destroys houses. Because we are poor the houses are poorly built. Water gets into our houses and destroys property,” she says, angrily adding, “When our houses fall we can’t rebuild until we are authorized.” She narrates that even a toilet she had started building was halted by area authorities. Moving uphill, rainwater has created deep gorges filled with garbage. Previously buried electric wires and water pipes have been exposed, revealing the intensity of the erosive effect. Looking further up, a toddler dressed in school uniform struggles to slope downhill followed by elders taking careful steps to find firm support for their feet on the steep gradient. Beletilda Nyirasafari’s house is located on the hillside. She admits that the gorges have become garbage dumping sites. “We have a problem of garbage. People keep dumping it in gorges. Sometimes water drainages get blocked,” she explains. She also decries the problem of theft. “They (thieves) entered through the window, took clothes, shoes and other things. I reported to the area leader and they told me they would look into the matter,” she narrates one such case adding that even though pays a security fee of Rwf1000, her case has not yet been solved. She also mentions lack of piped water as another challenge faced by hillside dwellers. “Those that don’t have piped water go down to the valley. A jerrycan of water goes for Rwf200,” she says. Aimable Ngiruwonsanga, the area leader tried to provide some answers to some of the problems related to security, water and gabbage. About the garbage, he says that before they ‘would cooperate and get a car to collect the garbage but due to confusion [funding disagreements] we stopped. That is why the garbage is piled in the gorges.” On the refusal to grant permission for building, he explains that following Kigali City’s Conceptual Master Plan, new constructions are prohibited. Ngiruwosanga also says that the expropriation process is also one of the considerations. “We administer according to the government plan. These people will soon move. They will be paid the amount of money equivalent to their property. I will also move,” he says. However, he says that the social evils in the area are intensified by abuse of drugs. “Nyabugogo is infested with thieves. When chased they head in the direction of the hills [Gatsata hills],” reveals Ngiruwosanga. He however states that the problems of water and electricity have been greatly solved. “The water problem was solved last year. Many houses now use tap water. They also got electricity,” he discloses. The residents are still faced with the problem of runoff water meandering into their houses and destroying property. The erosive effect is eating away the soil surrounding their houses which gradually weakens the foundations of their houses. My curiosity sated, I slowly move downhill. Ends