RUBAVU - The government through the Rubavu District authorities is set to move153 families living along the banks of River Sebeya, in an effort to conserve the river.

"The families to be moved will be provided with plots of land and construction materials for their new houses,” the Minister of Natural Resources, Stanislas Kamanzi said, yesterday, while launching the construction of houses for the affected residents in Kanama sector.

Over 450 out of 510 hectares of land along the banks of the river in the Rubavu, Rutsiro and Ngororero districts have been planted with trees.

Kamanzi explained that out of 153 families, 111 will receive iron sheets cement, and other building materials.

"The objective of conserving River Sebeya is to have clean water in the river as well as increase its volume,” Kamanzi emphasised.

The government has already resettled 100 families while those with the means will have to rebuild their houses themselves.

Besides conservation of the river, authorities said the move was aimed at protecting residents from dangers of floods which were common during rainy seasons.

Olive Mukakamari, who has already benefitted from the exercise hailed authorities for resettling her.

"I was living close to the river and whenever it rained, my house would be washed away by floods and my property destroyed,” said Mukakamari.

Another resident Veriana Nyirazaninka, praised the relocation exercise terming it right because some residents were dumping waste into the river.

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