EASTERN PROVINCE GATSIBO – The twenty -two member Gatsibo district advisory council on Tuesday elected Pascal Ndahayo, the current council’s vice president, as the new district’s interim mayor. Ndahayo, 36, emerged the winner with 21 votes against his challenger Patricia Mukankuranga. The new mayor, as stipulated by the law, will take up his new responsibilities within a period of ninety days from the date of his appointment. In an election that was presided over by the Eastern Province governor, Ephraim Kabayija, the newly elected mayor vowed to perform his duties diligently despite challenges lying ahead. ‘I have been entrusted to lead the district amidst uncertainties and the leadership crisis which accompanied it. But I hope, with your compassionate cooperation, to perform my duties diligently,’ he said. Ndahayo appealed to the governor for closer cooperation which he termed as key for driving the district from its current predicaments. In response, Dr. Kabayija pledged his support to the incoming mayor. He in return requested other local leaders in the district to support him in order to accelerate the region’s development initiatives. ‘This district has been emerging the last in performance contracts for three years in a row. Its now your turn to rectify this situation,’ said the governor. Referring to different reports which emerged that touched on mismanagement of district resources in the hands of local leaders in recent years, the governor warned the local leaders that stern action will be taken against such acts. The warning came after the governor presented police evidence file over a tender to supply of exotic cows in the district in which large sums of money was diverted by district officials. ‘This was done in your eyes but none of you could report it,’ he told local leaders. The election of interim mayor follows a recent district advisory committee’s decision to dissolve the district leadership committee in which the mayor, Jean Marie Vianney Murego and his vice in charge of Economic affairs, Bossa Rwemalika were arrested by the police over mismanagement of state funds. Ends
