Gicumbi passes Rwf 9 billion budget

GICUMBI - Gicumbi District’s 2010-2011 budget will be more than Rwf. 9bn. This was revealed by the district vice Mayor in charge of Economic Affairs, Ildephonse Butera, during the budget presentation to members of the District Advisory Council on Friday. He said Frw 365 million of the budget will come from the district’s own revenues. The Central government will pour in over Frw 7 bn while donors are expected to contribute over Frw 2 bn. “The budget shall cater for current expenditures which include wages and salaries, goods and services, exceptional expenditures and expenditures on development projects,” said Butera. Over Frw 3 bn was earmarked for the district development projects alone, while over Frw 5 bn will be spent on current expenditures. The development projects include decentralization and capacity building, community development planning, Vision 2020 Umurenge Programs (VUP), integrated system of intensive Agriculture and livestock farming, food security and vulnerability management and management of forestry resources, among others. Senator Jean Baptiste Bizimana questioned why health insurance “pooling risk fund” and provision of electricity to residents is not specified in the district budget. “Pooling risk fund, where the district contributes a certain amount of money for every health insured resident is very important to guarantee good health for all residents. This is in addition to provision of electricity to accelerate development in the rural areas, which are all not specified in this budget,” noted Bizimana. Legislature Pelagie Mukantaganzwa also inquired whether the budget was in line with the district’s performance contracts. “The budget should be in line with the district performance contracts, otherwise you risk failing to accomplish all the development projects enumerated in your budget,”, she said. Other members of the district Advisory council questioned why the budget does not include the clearance of the district’s debts such as teachers’ arrears and money owed to contractors. The Chairperson of Gicumbi District Advisory Council, Cecile Nyirantwari, responded that provision of electricity to residents is an ongoing project, and that the district is already engaged in financing electricity generation at Ngoma dam in Rushaki Sector. Sinese Museveni, the District Executive Secretary, laboured to explain the source of debt recovery. “Teachers’ arrears shall be cleared by the Ministry of Finance in the shortest time possible,” he said. The members present, who included all Sector Executive Secretaries, recommended minor adjustments to the budget and unanimously approved it. Ends