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Rwanda to stop constructing houses for genocide survivors

Xinhua, March 17, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Rwandan government will in the next three years stop constructing houses for survivors of the 1994 genocide, officials announced.

"Currently, we know the number of survivors left without houses and those whose houses require renovations. We hope that in the next three years, the housing program would have phased out, only focusing on other social welfare programs for the genocide survivors like students financing and supporting only the most vulnerable," the Minister of Local Government, Francis Kaboneka said.

The minister made the remarks on Monday while appearing before parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to explain progress on implementation of resolutions adopted by the plenary during the analysis of the Auditor General's report.

The Minister said the government was considering phasing out the housing program and cutting down on genocide survivors student' s scholarships, especially in secondary schools.

He attributed the phase out of students financing program in secondary schools to the reducing number of beneficiaries.

He said the more emphasis would be put on the large number of students beneficiaries in institutions of higher learning.

Theophile Ruberangeyo, the Fund for the Support of Genocide Survivors (FARG) Director General, noted that phasing out the housing program would depend on the availability of funds as well as the commitment of stakeholders, including government as well local authorities.

The housing issue has been talked about for long, he said, after 21 years, we don't expect that there are people without houses.

"This was all caused by a few issues and lack of information, we are glad that we now know the exact figures of those remaining with housing issues and the government is ready to help. With the availability of funds, we can even realize the phase out in two years, depending on the commitment of all parties concerned," he said.

FARG needs about 52.2 mln U.S. dollars to build more that 3,500 houses part of which will be committed by the Government beginning with the next fiscal year which starts in July.

Ruberangeyo called on Rwandans to join the campaign so that no genocide survivor is left without a house.

It has taken us so long, we need to get off this stage and focus on other programs for the transformation of genocide survivors' lives, he said.

FARG has previously been faulted for taking too long to provide housing and direct support to genocide survivors. Legislators said some houses that were built for the survivors were either poorly constructed, or contractors abandoned housing projects midway.

According to the AG's report, FARG's 2012/2013 budget framework had intended to renovate 3,306 housing units for genocide survivors but only 350, about 11 per cent of the entire projects were renovated countrywide. Endi