Ntawukuriryayo pledges pay rise for lecturers

HUYE - The Social Democratic Party (PSD) presidential hopeful, Dr. Jean Damascene Ntawukuriryayo, while on the campaign trail in the Huye District, yesterday pledged that if he is elected President, he would increase the salaries of university lecturers. Addressing about a thousand enthusiastic party supporters at Huye football stadium, Dr Ntawukuriryayo said that there is a high turnover of academic staff at the National University of Rwanda, a situation he said, he will address by increasing salaries and engaging the varsity dons in income generating research projects. “We will retain our highly skilled personnel by engaging them in research which can earn them some income and by setting up a good salary that is within the country’s means,” the presidential hopeful said. In education, Ntawukuriryayo said that the party he leads wants the National University of Rwanda to be a ‘national university’ by giving it capacity financially, improving its infrastructure and retaining its highly skilled staff. He pledged to make the University Teaching Hospital of Butare a centre of excellence in the country and region.Development of towns and cities will be top on the agenda, according to Ntawukuriryayo. He pledged to redevelop Butare town because of its history and tourism potential. On Family Planning, Ntawukuriryayo said that once elected he will lead the campaign to sensitise the population on the dangers posed by an increase in population that is not commensurate with economic growth “Producing many children is not an economic activity,” he said. “We should only produce those we can afford to provide for, those that the economy of the country can support”.Residents who talked to The Sunday Times expressed satisfaction with Ntawukuriryayo’s manifesto. They singled out plans for tourism promotion, increase of salaries for teachers, improvement of agriculture and the rain water harvesting as key on the party’s manifesto. “The candidate has had a distinguished career as a politician, he is a man of integrity,” said Jean Baptiste Habyarimana, an artist from Butare town. Later on, Ntawukuriryayo and his entourage addressed rallies in Nyaruguru and Gisagara districts. “We did not delay, we prepared well, now is the time,” party members chanted. Ntawukuriryayo reiterated his plan to allocate 10% of the National Budget to the agricultural sector if voted into the highest office. He said that he will emphasise the use of fertilisers and processing of agricultural produce. “We cannot improve agriculture without ensuring a proper settlement pattern, if voted I will spear-head the drive for people to settle in communal villages (Imidugudu). The Presidential hopeful promised to supplement the largely successful one-cow per family programme by promoting piggery that has been widely embraced in the district by insisting on value addition and rearing them for the market. He promised technical and vocational schools to take in students who opt not to continue in the formal education system. He also pledged to set up at least a nursery school in every village in the country. The PSD candidate promised to tackle population increase that does not tally with economic growth by promoting family planning. “If voted into power, I intend to solve the issue of housing for all vulnerable genocide survivors in two years. I will also double teachers’ salaries within a period of three years,” Ntawukuriryayo said. One resident who talked to The Sunday Times said that he was particularly impressed by the candidate’s plan to double teacher’s salaries. “Teachers do a lot of work but unfortunately earn so little, the promise to double their salaries is exciting,” said Jean Paul Hitimana. Other party officials at the rally included; Environment Minister Stanislas Kamanzi, Labour Minister Anastase Murekezi, honourables Jean Damascene Gasarabwe and Aurelie Gahongayire. Ends