Ntawukuriryayo promises rain water harvest

NYAMAGABE - The Social Democratic Party (PSD) Presidential hopeful, Dr. Jean Damascene Ntawukuriryayo, continued his campaign in the Southern Province on Sunday, where he held a rally at Nyagisenyi stadium in Nyamagabe district. Characteristic of his campaign rallies, Ntawukuriryayo joined his enthusiastic supporters in song and dance before delivering his election manifesto to residents of Nyamagabe. In his address, Ntawukuriryayo said that since rain water on many occasions ravages towns and villages, harvesting it will be one of the major programmes that will be implemented by his government once elected President. “Harvesting of rain water will be a ‘pact’ with the Rwandan people and a performance contract with the Party,” Ntawukuriryayo said. Ntawukuriryayo reiterated his plan to allocate 10% of the National Budget to the agricultural sector so as to boost food production for domestic use and for the market. He said that the budget could even be increased as the economy grew. In Nyamagabe, Ntawukuriryayo promised to promote wheat farming through support to private investors, boost honey production and processing and increasing Irish potatoes production for the local and regional market. “If elected I will promote the ‘made in Nyamagabe brand,” Ntawukuriryayo told the cheering crowd of PSD supporters.He promised to tackle population increase that does not tally with economic growth by promoting family planning. He said that family planning will feature prominently in the PSD agenda, promising to set up a fund to help residents especially in times of natural disasters. The PSD candidate reiterated his promise to double teachers’ salaries in the first three years of his government and the setting up of a nursery school in every village in the country. Vedaste Mbanda a resident Kibyagira Cell, Uwinkingi Sector said that PSD has good plans that bond well with those of the ruling RPF-Inkontanyi. “We have a wheat processing plant that has not been functioning well, the PSD candidate has made an important pledge to upgrade it, this is a very important promise because it affects the lives of many wheat growers,” Mbanda said. Senior party officials at the rally included; Environment Minister Stanislas Kamanzi, Labour Minister Anastase Murekezi MPs Jean Damascene Gasarabwe and Aurelie Gahongayire, and Western Province Governor, Celestin Kabahizi. Ends