Rwanda Red Cross hands over 374 houses to returnees

BUGESERA — At least 180 families of Rwandans returning from Tanzania to settle in Nemba, Bugesera district still lack decent shelter. Despite others having houses close to 40 families have no Kitchens and latrines. This was revealed during the recent hand over ceremony of 90 houses, constructed by the Rwanda Red Cross society (RRC). “We are very grateful for what Rwanda Red Cross has done but we still have a problem. Some of us are lacking houses and still sleep in tents. Others have houses but don’t have kitchens and have no latrines,” a woman who spoke on behalf of others said in her speech. Other problems highlighted include lack of dispensary and access to the market. Over 12,000 returnees live in the Nemba settlement. The woman explained that the available health services for the returnees are operated in someone else’s house. In his speech Dr. Bernard Nzigiye, the president of RRC reaffirmed their commitment to help returnees and other needy citizens to settle in the country. Dr. Nzigiye says that as a compliment to the government, RRC has also built 25 houses for orphans in Bugesera. It also emerged that genocide convicts serving community work (TIG) are also building 156 houses for the returnees. Nzigiye explained that Frw140m was spent on building 115 houses for the vulnerable families in Bugesera district. About Frw36 million was used on construction of 25 houses for orphans, while Frw104m was spent on 90 houses for the returnees. With support from World Food Programme (WFP), RRA society has supplied 75.2 tonnes of food stuffs to the returnees, according to Dr. Nzigiye. Responding to the problems raised, Silas Nyirindekwe, the vice Mayor in charge economic affairs said that the problems of housing, dispensary, market, latrines and Kitchens would be addressed. Nyirindekwe explained that according to the government plan of developing the whole district, district leaders had chosen Nemba to be among the three priority areas to benefit from the development plan. He did not however reveal the development projects to be allocated to the area. Ends