L-R Habyarimana Gilbert (Rubavu district Mayor) and Kayitesi Alice (Kamonyi District Mayor)
Rubavu and Kamonyi district councils have elected new mayors to feel gaps that remained vacant a couple of months when former mayors resigned.
Gilbert Habyarimana is new mayor of Rubavu district while Alice Kayitesi was elected mayor of Kamonyi district.
Habyarimana 44, who holds a Master’s degree in Finance and Cooperative Management replaced Jeremie Sinamenye who resigned in August citing personal reasons.
Apparently, Sinamenye does not have a clean file. In July, he was arrested by police after an allegation of sabotaging electoral campaigns of a private candidate in his district.
Sinamenye was later released, but he tendered his resignation letter on August 29th.
The new mayor seeks to use his experience in development of cooperatives and his education skills to develop the district neighbouring with Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and a touristic destination along Lake Kivu.
He has been serving as Director General of Rwanda Cooperative Agency (RCA). Prior to this position, he worked at United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and at Catholic Institute of Musanze-INES as a lecturer.
Born in Nyabihu district, he is familiar to Rubavu district where he studied secondary school.
“Rubavu has hardworking citizen. Together with them, we shall improve the district economy to bring it to the second position of a vibrant city after the capital Kigali,” he said in his inaugural speech.
Kayitesi 37, is a mother of three, she holds a Masters’in Projects Management.
She is replacing Aimable Udahemuka he resigned on August 24th citing personal reasons.
Kayitesi is interested in marketing the district and the way to go, she said, she will bring the media closer.
She also pledged to make the citizens her esteemed development partners.
“Union is strength. I will work with Kamonyi population to correct mistakes that have been preventing us from performing well,”Kayitesi said.
Tharcisse Nzamwita, a district resident requested the new mayor to avoid rhetoric that characterised mayors former mayors and shift to action.
“The road Rugobagoba – Mugina is very important to us; our mayors have always pledged to rehabilitate it but they never did so. Let our new mayor walk the talk,” he said.
