Residents of Gisenyi state that they continue to be disturbed by the rainwater that comes down from the rural areas, which accumulates in the center of the city and destroys it, due to the lack of roads.
The city of Gisenyi has been faced with the problems of floods in different times, the residents destroyed their belongings and were carried away by the water and it was considered a disaster.
As the years go by, the problem of rainwater coming from rural areas such as Busasamana and continuing to areas such as Cyanzarwe and Rubavu enters the city of Gisenyi, destroying the people because of the small roads built.
The water entering Gisenyi city is increasing as the city expands, and infrastructure such as roads are increasing, but the waterways are not being increased.
The Executive Secretary of Gisenyi Sector, Tuyishime Jean Bosco, on March 16, 2024 in the community at the Rouge Commune memorial, announced that the city he leads has a problem with rainwater from rural areas, causing problems in the city.
He said, “Our people are doing well, even those who have problems, we work together to solve them, even those who look at their faces can see it. The problem we have that threatens the city of Gisenyi is a lot of water that comes down to our neighboring sectors, because of the small way it fills the road and goes to the houses of the people and destroys it.”
Tuyishime continues to say that the water is damaging the people because of small channels, the example he gave is the school center in Gacuba where the water is damaging the contents, and he asks the administration of Rubavu District to help them find a solution to the water that is destroying the people.
The city of Gisenyi has four waterways that lead to Lake Kivu, but due to the expansion of the city, the water has exceeded the capacity of the waterways that have been built for more than ten years.
Dr Ignance Kabano, the President of the Rubavu District Council, told Kigali Today that they are looking for a sustainable solution to the water entering Gisenyi city, however he is asking the residents to participate in taking water from their buildings.
He said, “We ask the people to take the water from the house, because the more they let it go, the worse it gets.”
