MINALOC probes Survivors’ housing project

KIGALI - The Ministry Local Government has embarked on a countrywide evaluation of houses constructed for genocide survivors following a public outcry over gross misappropriation of funds and materials meant to provide shelter for needy survivors. This follows a report by the Ombudsman’s office that revealed massive embezzlement of funds meant for the housing program. Addressing a news conference to present the achievements of the last two quarters of the financial year 2009/10, the Permanent Secretary at MINALOC, Eugene Barikana, revealed that the ministry was carrying out an audit to deal with the problem. “We conducted a house-to-house assessment to ascertain where this problem was coming from. We wanted to know how many needy Genocide survivors were given houses and those who were not, as well as those who had houses built for them illegally,” Barikana said. “In the Western Province, we found that 11,175 Genocide survivors had houses build for them and that only 500 people are yet to get houses, instead of the earlier reported 10,000 people.” According to the survey that started in the Western Province, some of the houses constructed were of poor quality while thousands more who were meant to benefit from the programme did not, whereas some who did not qualify received houses. He noted that the study also established that 147 people sold the houses while 72 had houses built for them for the second time. He added that 2,893 houses were found to be old and needed renovation. Barikana said that the assessment is currently going on in the Southern Province and will extend to the Northern Province, adding that appropriate action will be taken on those found culpable of any foul play. He added that MINALOC, together with the Ministry of Justice, IBUKA and the National Public Prosecution Authority, are acting on a report indicating that hundreds of survivors had their property grabbed by either their relatives or the government in some areas. Ends