The latter will be similar to Kinigi Model Village inaugurated in Musanze district last year in the context of Liberation Day. It will feature a market, schools, and connected with water and electricity. The village will also be comprised of sheds for residents’ livestock among others.
Early January 2022, IGIHE visited the plot of land where the village will be constructed in Nyiragongo Territory, in the plain located at the foothills of Nyiragongo volcano, few meters from Rwanda’s border with DRC in Busasamana sector of Rubavu district.
Demarcations separating individual’s parcels have been marked at the site. The plain is also home to Kanyanja camp accommodating people affected by Nyiragongo eruption. They are sheltered in provisional canvas tents awaiting completion of the model village.
A member of the camp’s management who got information from superiors, has told IGIHE that a village comprising of 7000 building units is set to be constructed on support of different donors including the wife of Joseph Kabila, Marie Olive Lembe di Sita known as Mama Olive.
He explained that they have started registering the first batch of beneficiaries once the model village is completed.
“Mama Oliva donated 2250 plots of land while the Government plans to build five thousand housing units. They are more than seven thousand in total. We have learnt that that the Government will build decent homes. Mama Oliva has already donated plots of land but the design of houses from her support is yet to be revealed,” he said.
{{Relief to beneficiaries}}
The majority of residents to be resettled are those living in the vicinity of Nyiragongo volcano particularly those with houses destroyed during the volcano’s eruption last year.
IGIHE has learnt that there are more citizens living in risky zones at the foothills of the volcano to be relocated.
James is among citizens living in Kanyanja camp in Nyiragongo Territory whose houses were destroyed by earthquakes.
“We live in the foothills of the volcano. Moving to that place will be helpful. This place we live in is very stony but I hope we can find arable land to grow vegetables once resettled,” he said.
James revealed, they are always scared that the volcano might erupt anytime.
“The place where the model village is set to be built is closer to Rwanda. When the volcano erupts again, it is possible to flee to Rwanda before magma reaches our residence, “he noted.
“We will be very thankful once the model village is completed,” James added.
Another Congolese identified as Kasongo has said that the construction of the model village should not be delayed to alley their worries.
“We are currently exposed to fire in the current residence because it can take long to reach Rwanda. That is why we need to be relocated to the village nearby Rwanda’s border to be safe from eruption’s risk,” he said.
{{Water scarcity}}
Citizens living in the foothills of Nyiragongo continue to endure hard life due to eruption’s devastating effects despite the support from various organizations operating in the area.
Their arable land has turned rocky following eruption but reveal that water scarcity is the most pressing issue. Some residents have said that it has been long without receiving water that was previously supplied by MONUSCO.
The place neither has markets nor access to water. They mainly rely on rain water while others have to walk for an hour to fetch water in Goma. Kasongo says that the village comes in handy as it will be connected with water.
One of the camp’s managers expressed worries that some people might die during times of hot sun in February and March.
“We are extremely desperate as we wonder how we will get along at this border without water. Some people might die if it doesn’t rain,” he said.
There is no source water nearby the construction site but DRC mulled discussions with Rwanda to connect water to the village.
The village was initially expected to be inaugurated on 4th July 2022 coinciding with Rwanda’s 28th Liberation Day but construction activities are still in the initial phases.
Nyiragongo’s eruption on 22nd May 2021 destroyed several infrastructures, took lives over 32 and left many people displaced.
The eruption saw Congolese nationals fleeing to Rwanda where they were warmly welcomed until they returned home.
Few days later, Kagame appealed for global support to manage the crisis on the border with DRC.
The volcanic eruption was reported to have destroyed hundreds of houses, water and electricity supply systems that some parts of Goma were left in blackout and pulled electricity from Rwanda.
On his visit to DRC in June last year, Kagame and Tshisekedi toured Kibati road among other infrastructures damaged by volcanic eruption.
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