The Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen Albert Murasira and the Minister of Local Government, Jean Marie Vianney Gatabazi, officiated at the inauguration of the model village in Kinigi.
Rwanda has inaugurated a State of art model village worth over Rwf 26 billion that will accommodate 144 previously vulnerable households located in the Musanze district, Northern Province.
The Kinigi Model village, located in the Kinigi sector Nyejoro village was inaugurated as part of the activities to mark the 27th anniversary of the liberation day that is celebrated on 4 July annually.
In his speech to mark Kwibohora 27, President Paul Kagame alluded to the housing project as one of the developments that bring hope and affirm the fact that the country and the people care for one another.
“The Kinigi Model Village being launched today, and other community projects that our armed forces have delivered, in partnership with other institutions, is a demonstration of our Rwandan solidarity, and we have made it a habit,” President Kagame said, thanking the armed forces.
Kinigi model village comprises of 2 houses of 24 in one with two bedrooms, 4 houses of 24 in one (three bedrooms). Each house is equipped with a television set, radio, smart, sitting room furniture, and gas coking systems.
The model village also has a health centre that has medical consultation rooms, a pharmacy, medical laboratory, ophthalmology, minor surgery, and health education room. It has also hospital wards, among others.
Inside the model village, Early Childhood Development Centers (ECDs), a primary and secondary school were constructed to extend education to children of the beneficiaries.
In a bid to promote the economical dependency of the beneficiaries, the chicken farm with 800 chickens, cowsheds for 102 cows, forage and forage storage room, fruit gardens, and space for trade (Agakiriro) was established.
Other activities inside the model village include the water supply systems, tarmac roads, electricity, among others.
“It is well known that we are celebrating liberation day today, it comprises many things and among them is Rwandan Defense Force (RDF) commitment to work with citizens in developing the country in activities like this model village we have inaugurated today,”
“The RDF will always be at the forefront of developing the country together with you,” Major General Albert Murasira , Minister of Defense said.
Gen. Murasira said that RDF will always be at the front of ensuring security but also development activities in the country in partnership with citizens.
The Chief of Staff of RDF, Lt. Gen. Mubarak Muganga, urged the beneficiaries to take care of the houses and use whatever they have been given to develop themselves.
“Contributing to the development of the country is everyone’s responsibility. You have got a special gift, you should be responsible for these beautiful facilities, take care of them and work for further developments,” Gen. Muganga said, adding that Rwanda’s vision is having peaceful, united, prosperous, and self-reliant citizens.
The Kinigi model village was built by the Ministry of Defense in partnership with the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Ministry of Information Communication and Technology, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Infrastructure, among others.
To mark the liberation day also, the Ministry of Defense built a model village located in Kinihira sector, Gicumbi district, northern province. This model village will host 12 families.
According to the Ministry of Defense, Rwf27,294,379,418 has been spent on building two model villages and rehabilitating health facilities, schools, maternity blocks, water supply projects, Houses for Genocide survivors, etc.
“27 years ago, we started with rehabilitation of people’s minds, and constructing basic infrastructures, and we started establishing developmental activities. People were liberated by giving them a voice and giving them the freedom to work for prosperity,”
“For the past 10 years, we used to launch model villages of few houses, but we have now started construction of storied houses that are built on a small piece of land and can accommodate many people,” said Jean Marie Vianney Gatabazi, the Minister of Local Government.
The model village has state-of-the-art health facilities.
“This new model village will accommodate about 600 people that have to settle on many hectares of land. The model villages will help to fairly utilize the land, but also citizens will settle together and improve the unity of citizens that the government has always Fought for. This is a special day for residents of Kinigi sector, they have been given amazing infrastructures,” Gatabazi said.
He added that the beneficiaries will always visit their gardens where they shifted from to cultivate and economically improve their livelihoods.
The Kinigi IDP Model Village became the 82model village built by the government since 2016. This year, liberation day has been celebrated under the theme dubbed “Together we prosper.”
“The beneficiaries have rights over their houses, we shall give them documents for ownership and can be used in accessing bank loans. However, we are strongly advising them not to sell these properties or failing to handle them well. We have seen and heard several cases where beneficiaries sell properties at poor and lower prices in model villages, this is bad,”
“The government will not be there to rehabilitate all of these houses and other infrastructures located in the model, beneficiaries should be able to work hard and develop themselves, this is every model village established with developmental projects like cows, chicken farms, gardens among others,” Gatabazi said.
Kinigi model village finds others including Rweru IDP, Karama and Gikomero Model Villages, Gishuro, Horezo, Kinigi IDP Model Village among others.
