Cleaning work during Umuganda in Nyabugogo-Nyarugenge district
The community work Umuganda is resuming gradually after nearly two years since it was halted due to Covid-19.
The word Umuganda can be translated as ‘coming together in common purpose to achieve an outcome’. Members of the community gather to complete a difficult task.
It contributes to environment protection through erosion control, tree planting, and cleaning, construction and maintenance of public infrastructure, availing shelter for the needy among others.
Umuganda usually happens every last Saturday of the month.
Today, the Ministry of Environment joined residents of Muhima sector, Nyarugenge district to clean the city and to inform communities about the ongoing assessment to reopen the community work.
They picked littered facemasks, plastic bottles and polythene bags and cleaned trenches.
“We are weighing out resuming Umuganda national wide,” Patrick Karera, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment said.
“We are conducting an assessment with health authorities, as the Covid-19 pandemic trend goes down, Umuganda is among major activities that we look to re-open just like others.”
Umuganda was organized by Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) and the city of Kigali.
According to Rwanda Governance Board (RGB), there has been a significant increase of Umuganda monetary value, from Rwf4 billion in 2007 to Rwf19 billion in 2016.
The monetary value of community work is calculated through the number of schools that have been built, roads rehabilitated, houses constructed for the vulnerable people, among others.
According to Emmy Ngabonziza, the District Executive Administrator of Nyarugenge district, all citizens should play a participatory role in reinstating nature.
