The willingness to attend the monthly communal cleaning (Umuganda) is fading away among many Rwandans despite its beneficial impact to all.
Normally the cleaning activities include clearing bushes, renovation of neighborhood roads, assisting the vulnerable among other chores.
In the past communal activities were well conducted but today some have decided to give Umuganda a cold shoulder.
Velvius Nkusi the leader of Bwiza cell in Kacyiru district explains that participation in the communal cleaning is a law and that the leadership fines Frw5,000 those that don’t turn up without a genuine reason.
Nkusi has introduced awareness programs in the cell meant to encourage residents to take part in the cleaning. He says that awareness entails encouraging people to clean bushes around their homesteads to avoid breeding of mosquitoes and thieves that use them as hiding spots.
Bwiza cell has designed a list of activities used as a guide during the cleaning process that is not specifically done monthly since there’re some chores conducted by community volunteers.
Foreigners are also required to participate in the communal cleaning since they are part of the society. In the recent Umuganda, Boniface Mutua the aspiring chairperson of Kenyan Association in Rwanda mobilized his fellow Kenyans to take part in rehabilitating a road in Bwiza sell.
“I was so happy with the turn up, it’s always good for foreigners to be part of the society and their contribution to bring change in the community is relevant,” he remarked.
His colleague Caroline Ndinya the secretary of the association dubbed (All Kenyans in Rwanda) noted that she was inspired by the role of women in the cleaning activities. “I was so fascinated to see even high profile looking ladies rehabilitating the road,” she remarked.
Apart from the participation of locals and foreigners in Umuganda, the role of corporate institutions though not mandatory is also advantageous. In the same cell, Nakumatt supermarket and Serena contributed water while Fina bank, Kenya Airways and Tigo gave t-shirts.
Paul Mutunga the deputy manager of Nakumatt encouraged other institutions to support local initiatives as a way of giving back to the society, “apart from supporting Umuganda we’ve also helped in gorilla conservation where we contribute 1percent of our one month profits,” he remarked.
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