Orphans to sue their leader over funds

RUSIZI - A group of Genocide orphans heading their families in Kamembe sector, Rusizi District has threatened to drag their leader to court for allegedly misusing funds meant to construct for them a multipurpose hall and residential houses. The orphans accuse Monique Kankera, the president of Mwana Wiriwute Association for Genocide Survivor Orphans, of swindling about Rwf28 million. According to the orphans who preferred not to be named, the money was donated by a certain British lady who committed to build a hall worth Rwf25 m and 15 residential houses each worth Rwf3 m, in 2005. The complainants allege that Kankera instead diverted the money to construct her own property which is a hospitality outlet at Euberge Gloria located near Gihundwe Hospital. Efforts to get comments from Kankera were fruitless. “We don’t know what to do exactly, where to report this issue but all in all we are determined to sue Kankera for misusing our funds. Up to now there is no construction work going on yet we are sure that she received the money,” said one of the complainants. The orphans further explained that construction of the hall stalled after the first phase of the works . The hall was opened while incomplete and its floor has no cement to date. The children allege that during the construction, Kankera used to keep materials for the construction at her guest house, which raised further suspicion. They also accuse their leader of charging them for computer training yet the computers were donated to them by a US based charity organization, in 2007. ‘We are asked to pay Rwf15,000 per month for the computer training yet we were supposed to study for free’, they complained. They added that whenever they inquire about the building, Kankera intimidates them. Some claimed that they are living in a dilapidated house and called upon security authorities to intervene, while others claimed that they dropped out of school due to frustration caused by Kankera. Ends