Districts under probe over survivors’ housing fund

KIGALI - Partial findings by the Fund for support of genocide survivors (FARG) probe team, indicate that the housing program for survivors was messed up and the government is losing money. The probe team, set up January 20, to establish whether money sent to construct houses for genocide survivors matches the actual work done, comprises officials from ministries of Local Government, FARG, police, prosecution and Ibuka. A source from the Office of Prosecutor General, told The New Times yesterday, that investigations conducted reveal districts have been sending inflated figures to cheat government. The source cited the Western Province where districts said that 10,000 survivors needed houses, but, it was discovered that less than 548 survivors actually needed housing. “Everything was being done with the full knowledge of district leaders who wanted to cheat government,” the source, who is part of the team currently investigating the matter, said. Jean de Dien Udahemuka, one of the coordinators of the probe team from FARG said they had got useful information during the investigation and those responsible for the mess will be punished. He said the team had so far covered twelve districts where it discovered glaring mistakes. In some cases, Udahemuka explained, survivors would sell their new houses and move to another village, only to be put on a new list of beneficiaries. “Things have been messed up and we are trying to find a permanent solution,” Udahemuka explained in a telephone interview yesterday. Udahemuka attributed most of problems to the fact that districts lack a verification data system. But, hastened to add that, to curb forgery, a data base with all the beneficiary’s details will be set up once the probe team completes its exercise. Ends

National

Districts under probe over survivors’ housing fund