Nyaruguru and Nyanza districts have signed a cooperation deal aimed at boosting the tourism sector in the province.
The pact was signed on Wednesday by Mayors of the two districts.

The two districts have enormous tourism potential in the form of cultural heritage and religious sites. Nyaruguru is home to Kibeho- a religious site that attracts over 10 000 pilgrims monthly - mostly Catholics from as far as Brazil.

The site is associated with apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ.

Nyanza District is dubbed as the cultural hub of Rwanda being home to the King’s Palace and all the history surrounding the Monarchy in Rwanda.

While inking the deal, Nyaruguru Mayor, Felix Sibomana, said that despite receiving over 10 000 visitors every month, the district lacks adequate hotel facilities to cater for tourists, which necessitates cooperation.

The Mayor enumerated investment opportunities in bottled water- Kibeho brand which he said would attract a big market.

On his part, the Nyanza Mayor, Abdallah Murenzi welcomed the partnership, saying that it will make it easy for investors to explore investment opportunities in the two districts.

The vice president of the Private Sector Federation, Prisca Mujawamariya, noted that the cooperation deal was worth emulating by other districts, adding that developing the private sector is the way to go. She pledged the federations’ support towards the initiative.

Private sector forums from the two districts agreed to jointly engage in some projects. In Nyanza, a school of tourism will be built while Nyaruguru plans to construct a three-star hotel.

The ceremony was preceded by the inauguration of different private investments which included; Hotel Regina Pacis and a petrol station in Nyaruguru, while Hotel Heritage was inaugurated in Nyanza.  

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