MPs yesterday joined residents of Jabana Sector in Gasabo District for the monthly community work, Umuganda, where they participated in clearing land for the construction of houses for Rwandans recently expelled from Tanzania.

Officials from the local government, police, army, public and private oganisations took part.

The legislators were led to Jabana by the Deputy Speaker of Lower House, Jeanne d’Arc Uwimanimpaye. 

"We decided to join hands with residents so that we speed up the work based on the need to have these houses constructed. Through unity and working together as Rwandans, we are sure that we can easily transform our communities and speed up development,” Uwimanimpaye said.

She added that it is everyone’s responsibility to complement the support the government was channelling to the returnees and called on Rwandans to always work hard to become self reliant.

The Mayor of Gasabo District, Willy Ndizeye, thanked all who turned up for the first community work of the year and urged residents to embrace initiatives that support others and the community in general.

"Working together will not only help in developing Jabana Sector, but will contribute to the general objective of achieving the country’s development under Vision 2020 and Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRSII),” he said.

He added that it was a great pleasure to see a big number of people coming together to help others.

There are 57 returnee families in Gasabo District. The returnees, who also took part in the exercise, did not hide their excitement. Speaking to The Sunday Times, Richard Mugisha, one of them, said he thought that leaving Tanzania would mean the end of his life.

"I am very grateful that at least we have hope of getting houses; and this has actually been one of the things that worried me. Since this programme will give us houses, we now have where to start from,” he said.