Local leaders in Bugesera District in the Eastern Province were last week trained on how to resolve conflicts in order to ensure harmony in their respective communities. The training which was conducted by the Kigali-based Kimisagara Youth Centre (Maison des Jeunes) in conjunction with the German Agency for Technical Cooperation, GTZ-DED, aimed at teaching the leaders how to identify the various types of conflicts and how they can be resolved amicably. Speaking to The New Times, the GTZ technical assistant attached to the centre, Pascal Mwema, said that Bugesera was picked for the training because it is one of the GTZ partner districts. He added that the training is paramount in the district because the leaders meet conflicts almost on a daily basis hence need for them to learn how to deal with them as they arise and that it would be helpful to the leaders in harnessing good governance. The head of the good governance unit in the district, Emmanuel Ndashimiye, said that the training, once completed, would help them solve the problems in a more technical manner. “We were able to understand the various types of conflicts and also learnt that some conflicts can go an extra mile to cause violence,” explained Ndashimiye. The Executive Secretary of Ntarama sector, Francis Nkurunziza, was upbeat because the training was going to ease their day-to-day work in which conflicts are a common phenomenon. “We meet many conflicts daily, especially land-related conflicts, but we have been trying to solve them with no necessary knowledge. The Knowledge we have received will help us resolve them with more ease,” he said. Kimisagara Youth Centre popular for hosting and promoting youth activities at the national and regional levels, is in the process of being transformed into a regional centre for conflict management. Ends
