Announced in 2004, the paving project for streets in the Gitega urban center is slow to start. However, the population has already paid the requested contributions.
On Avenue de la ‘Mutualité’,the whole transport system is badly affected due to the poor conditions of the roads.
Rango is one of Gitega neighborhoods, located on a steep hill of the city. It does not have drainage system. “During the rainy season, rainwater destroys the fences of houses,” complains a resident of Rango. In addition to this problem of canalization, many of the roads in Rango are in poor condition. On Avenue de la Mutualité, the whole transport system is badly affected due to the poor conditions of the roads. “We had hoped that gutters would be built with the paved roads, so our houses would be protected,” says another inhabitant of Rango neighborhood.
The project of paving streets and avenues of Gitega city concerns namely Shatanya (I, II, III, and IV), Ntobwe, Karera (I, II), CNAR, Yoba, Magarama, Rango and Nyabututsi neighborhoods. The project should be executed by the Public Works and Employment Creation Project (PTPCE). A bank account is opened on the name of the PTPCE to pay the population contributions. The latter vary according to the length of roads and streets and the number of inhabitants of the same neighborhood.
“The project of paving Gitega streets has remained a dead letter,” says H.D., a resident of Rango. He says Rango people have started paying their required contributions since 2008. “We got discouraged. It has been more than 10 years since the project was not implemented despite our contributions. We do not believe in this project anymore. Each family had to pay BIF 50,000. “Some have already paid it while others are still waiting for the project to start”
For H.L., a resident of Shatanya, each family has to pay contribution of BIF80,000 to finance the paving project. He calls on the administration to start immediately paving activities. “The project was announced in 2004. Who knows if it will be really carried out? I will pay my contribution when the activities start. ”
Promise not honored
Inhabitants of Ntobwe district started to collect contributions in 2009. Each plot owner pays BIF 90,000. They have already collected over BIF 20 million, according to B.N., a resident of Ntobwe. “Our authorities did not honor their promise since roads are not yet paved as announced. And we continue to pay money. “Ntobwe district should benefit from 6km of paved roads,” he says adding that the collected money covers only 3km. B.N says the money collected is put into PTPCE account. “We are not sure that our money is well saved. We will wait.We cannot do otherwise. »
Edouard Ndayishimiye: “The contribution of the population represents 2% of the total budget of the project.”
Edouard Ndayishimiye, chief of Rango neighborhood says the contribution of the population represents 2% of the total budget of the project. He explains that the population is reluctant to pay the contributions arguing that the project is slow to start. “The authorities require the seller and parcel buyer to pay a contribution BIF 50,000 each” says Ndayishimiye adding that when the paving project was just announced, inhabitants paid their contributions massively. “Today, they are discouraged.”
The contribution collected since 2008 amounts to BIF 8,600,000, according to the chief of Rango neighborhood. He also says that out of 473 families in Rango neighborhood, 176 have already paid their contributions.
Mr. Ndayishimiye explains the slowdown in starting the project: “The administrator told us that he is still looking for a donor to finance the 98% of the necessary budget.”
This local government official insists on the importance of paving: “As houses in Rango district are threatened by rain water, they would be protected. The building of drainage system would allow channeling these waters. Contacted, Valentin Nahimana, administrator of Gitega Commune, did not want to express himself.
Neighborhood contributions for the 2004-2015 period:
– Shatanya IV: BIF14, 093,000
– Shatanya II: BIF 4,350,000
– Shatanya I: BIF 900,000
– ECOSO, Musinzira: BIF 1,380,110
– Magarama: BIF 3,133,000
– Regideso, Musinzira: BIF 388,000
– Ntobwe, Mushasha: BIF 14,439,000
– Yoba: BIF 10,365,000
– Rango: BIF 5, 022,000
– Karera, Mushasha: BIF 7.184.000
– Nyamugari: BIF 4 482.5000
– Mushasha: BIF 13,482,500
– Musinzira: BIF 14,039,500
– Nyabututsi: BIF 1,180,000
Source: PTPCE.
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