SOUTHERN PROVINCE MUHANGA—Residents of Gitarama and Gahogo cells, Nyamabuye sector have expressed frustrations over the registration process that started early morning on Saturday. The two-day registration process that was due to end saw Rwandans register for new electronic national identity and voters’ cards. The process caused major concerns among residents as some where deprived of registration on grounds of having unregistered children, lack of proper identifications, and marriage certificates. This caused chaos during the registration. A controversial case arose when a resident identified as Yusuf Rwigema, was alleged to be a Ugandan and utterly denied the right to register though he possesses a National Id (No. 41620 issued in Gitarama on 14/05/2003), voters card No. 0270704324, passport No. PC 054415. “Residents know that you (Rwigema) are Ugandan, and you don’t have a right to register as Rwandan. This means that residents can stop a foreigner from registering as a Rwandan until he or she proves that he is a Rwandan,” said Lucie Mukansanga, a senior supervisor of the registration. Rwigema apparently threatened to sue the local leaders for using a discriminative language and abuse of national dignity- as a Rwandan originating from Uganda. Rwigema said: “I have been segregated as a Rwandan with Ugandan origin. This is a disgrace and denial of ones nationality which I solely have a right to; I will sue the supervisors and local leaders for publicly insulting and discriminating me.” He also said: “I returned to Rwanda in 1995 and I have all along been working for my country. I got officially married in 2006 and I have one child and posses legal identifications.” “I have been asked to come back on Sunday (yesterday) and I hope that my situation will be rectified before this goes out of hand, however I have been frustrated by the verbal insults,” Rwigema said. On the contrary, the registration instructions stipulate that all Rwandans are legible to register if they possess legal identifications authorised by the government of Rwanda. During the national registration preparatory meeting held in Muhanga last month, local leaders agreed that all foreigners who illegally acquired national identities would be stopped from registering and their documents be confiscated. This came after reports that many foreigners had illegally obtained the national I.D. Also, residents of Gatika and Nyabisindu villages also accused local leaders of discrimination, favoritism, lack of respect and time management during the registration process that saw many residents lining up till late evening on Saturday. The process has turned into a business- some people bribing registrars with Frw1000 to have their registration processed faster,” said Samuel Kirenga Residents accused Jalila Nyiramuhire and Seif Nkunzimana for soliciting bribe from registers. Both David Dushimimana, the executive secretary of Nyamabuye and Venuste Semugabo, the Gatika Mudugudu head admitted that irregularities were there during the registration and accused residents for being chaotic and impatient. “Residents have only misinterpreted the whole setup…there has been need to attend to vulnerable people,” said Dushimimana. He also said: “there are few volunteers, supervisors and lack of proper documentations among residents; this has impacted on the process of registration but I am optimistic that all residents would be registered.” by late Saturday, about 1,600 out of about 4,000 residents had registered, in Gatika, Nyarusiza, Nyarutovu, Gitarama Nyabisindu and Kavumu villages in Gitarama cell.Ends
