One of the significant incidents witnessed by President Kagame is the flooding of River Sebeya, which resulted in the submersion of houses in the area and tragically claimed the lives of some residents.
He also visited Centre Scolaire de Nyundo, a school that has often been vulnerable to such disasters, to check on the well-being of the students.
The President also visited Pfunda Tea Factory, which experienced severe damages as a result of the heavy rainfall.
The Western Province, which was most affected by the floods and landslides, has seen over 5,000 people displaced as rescue interventions continue to prioritize their permanent resettlement.
As President Kagame arrived at the Inyemeramihigo site, he was warmly welcomed by the residents, who expressed their appreciation through enthusiastic applause.
The purpose of his visit, he stated, was to show solidarity with the affected residents, greet them, and convey a message of resilience.
The President emphasized that the country attaches great relevance to their concerns, and assured them that the government is fully committed to providing assistance during these difficult times.
President Kagame further assured the residents that the leaders are prepared to work even harder to facilitate their return to normalcy.
“I am here to stand with you and to tell you that we are thinking about you, we know the suffering this tragedy has caused and we share these concerns for your well being. We are doing everything within our means to help you overcome this difficult time. We will do our best so that those who are able to return to their normal lives can do so in the shortest time possible,” he said.
“We could not have done anything to prevent floods or heavy rains from occurring, but helping those who survived this tragedy is within our ability and we must do it,” added Kagame.
In addition, he pledged that more efforts would be dedicated to the preservation of River Sebeya in order to prevent similar disasters in the future.
Accompanying President Kagame on his visit were several government officials, including the Minister of Emergency Management (MINEMA), Marie Solange Kayisire; the Minister of Local Government, Claude Musabyimana; the Minister of Environment, Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya; the Minister of Interior, Alfred Gasana; and the Minister of Infrastructure, Dr. Ernest Nsabimana, among others.
The Chief Defence Staff, Gen Jean-Bosco Kazura; the Inspector General of Police, DCG Félix Namuhoranye; and the Governor of Western Province, François Habitegeko were also present.
Floods and landslides left at least 94 people injured, more than 5,550 houses, 14 roads and over 50 schools were destroyed. The disasters also destroyed crops, and water and power infrastructures.
The Rwandan government needs about Rwf110 billion (about 98 million U.S. dollars) to rebuild infrastructure damaged by disasters as a result of heavy rains across the country, according to the Ministry of Infrastructure.
The cabinet recently approved the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Policy, which seeks to strengthen the legal and institutional framework for disaster management and to build capacity for disaster management at all levels.
It also approved an emergency response plan aimed at reinforcing efforts to provide urgent relief to communities affected by disasters, according to a recent statement by the Office of the Prime Minister.
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