Gicumbi residents express concern over widening gulley

Residents of Kageyo Sector in Gicumbi District have expressed concern over a gulley dug by running water coming from hills close to Gihembe refugee camp. According to the residents, the gulley has previously claimed lives of four people and injured seven since last year. “This gulley keeps on widening; several households have shifted from this place to other nearby villages that are now worried ,” Theogene Repubulika, told The New Times. “We have lost business here; it blocked us from crossingover to the trading centres where we used to trade.”John Tuyisenge, another resident expressed fear over the safety of children living nearby.According to the residents, the gulley keeps on expanding threatening even the nearby villages.The residents said that the matter has been reported to the local authorities who are yet to respond to the distress call. When contacted, the Executive Secretary, Damien Sharangabo, who has confirmed that the gulley has claimed the lives of four former area residents, said terraces have been constructed to reduce the impact of the running water coming from the hills. “We did our best to construct terraces and trenches to stop the running water from getting to the refugees’ camp but so far we have not succeeded,” he said. Sharangabo added that the matter was also reported to the UNHCR officialsfor further intervention. “UNHCR officials have promised to construct new modern drainage system which will help in checking this running water from entering the camp,” said Sharangabo. Ends