{Man stands besides his hut which he says risks being washed away by the ongoing heavy rains in the area.}
{{Four families of indigenous Rwandans resident at Nduba village in Kiramuruzi sector, Gatsibo District have appealed for urgent rescue before the rains could ruin their livelihoods whose main occupation is pottery.}}
The lack of descent shelter and health insurance among other urgent basic needs are the major challenges of these families whose livelihoods are in contrast with other residents a few kilometers away.
They say local authorities have abandoned them despite several promises that they would be given shelter and cultivation land.
IGIHE made an impromptu visit to Nduba village in Akabuga cell where these families are based.Only one family of six members has managed to secure health insurance.
Two families have occupied an abandoned kral. Other families live in makeshift huts which will most likely get destroyed by rains expected to intensify in September.
The families say were resettled at the site by Sector authories near a livestock farm belonging Col.Twahirwa Dodo.
Meanwhile, one family had started building a mudbrick house but authorities stopped without any substantive reason.
Hitimana Emmanuel and wife Uwamariya Angelique are calling for help especially provision of shelter that would shield them from heavy rains and the cold. They also lack land on which to grow crops to feed their families.
He adds that they have on several occassions appealed for help from Cell authorities and the most recent was last week when authorities promised to visit them on Monday.
Uwamariya told IGIHE, “We were brought here by Murama Thomas (Akabuga Cell Executive Secretary) telling us that they would build houses for us but have been waiting invain. We are also Rwandans that deserve decent shelter.”
These familes told IGIHE that they were directed to join local community groups where every member contributes funds pooled together to cater for their Health Insurance fees. However, Uwamariya says they have no source of reasonable income and thus cannot join the groups meaning they live without health insurance.
She explains, “Only one family of six members receives health insurance cover provided by the sector authority while other families on the site are not catered for”.
Murundikazi Claudine said she travelled all the way from Rugende near Kigali to find a husband, “iam lucky I found a man but our livelihood is not interesting”. The couple now occupied an abandoned livestock kral.
Kayitesi Elina a mother of five resident at Nduba village, says she was evicted from her fathers land which the sector authorities say was a wetland. “I was brought here in the cattle kral.”
{{Local Officials Decline to answer Phone calls}}
Attempts to obtain comments from Murama Thomas the Executive Secretary at Akagari Cell were fruitless as his mobile phone was persistently unreachable.
However, Kiramuruzi Executive Secretary Munyaburanga Joseph did not answer his mobile phone and also never responded to our text messages that informed him about the demands of the affected familes at Nduba village.
By Press time, when contacted, Uwimpuhwe Esperance incharge of welfare at Gatsibo district didn’t answer her phone.
The District Mayor Ruboneza Ambroise declined to answer his phone despite repeated attempts to obtain a comment from him.
{Below are some IGIHE photos to show the life of the Indigenous Rwandan families}
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