Kanyosha River, a danger for neighbouring houses

The situation is getting bad to worse. Any house located near Kanyosha River is destroyed step by step. Inhabitants call for the Administration help.-By Diane Uwimana

A destroyed bridge along the road between Kinanira II and Kanyosha Commune ©Iwacu

Among rivers travelling Bujumbura City Council, Kanyosha River is one of them where someone should move up stones and sand. Up the first bridge running through the National Road number I, there is a house which has already been destroyed and fallen into this river. The house is in Musama quarter, commonly known Kinogono locality.
The owner of that house and his neighbours have worked hard to fix some sand bags to protect the already destroyed area and prevent the situation from becoming worse and worse. “My neighbours and I have tried to do our best without any assistance from the administration,” says N.K, met at that place.
He indicates that people from that locality haven’t seen anyone for their assistance. “We have also met some challenges, the Chief Officer of the quarter who was in charge of this situation talking with the Communal Administrator- died. The administration has sometimes sent a caterpillar to move up sand in order to let water to cross the river without problem, but in vain,” he adds.
Along the Road n12, in Kinanira quarter, in Musaga Commune, there is a bridge separating Kinanira II and Kanyosha where different houses are in a dangerous situation. In a 50- meter distance, there is a part of the bridge which has already fallen down into the river and it continues to landslide. Contacted, the owner of a parcel of land near the place kept silent and didn’t want to give any comment because of sadness. “Many people have visited me but no one has come to assist me,” he shouts out.
At 200 m of that locality, there is a place where people are trying to move up sand from the river border. These kinds of activities are among the causes of the destruction of the borders while many houses are located not so far at 20 m from the river border.

“The Administration is aware of that situation”

Abraham Awudu Bampoye, Kanyosha Administrator indicates that the problem that occurs in that river is known by the Administration. “Many a times, we have already alerted people living near that river to leave the place and abandon to build near the borders. Not only, did we sensitize them to the problems that should occur, but also we invited them to join us in the community work activities but they didn’t find out any importance,” urges the Administrator.
Bampoye notes that the Commune hasn’t any budget to protect the Kanyosha borders.
He calls upon the Ministries of Water, Environment, Land and Urbanism as well as of Public Work and the Bujumbura City Council Administration to deal with this situation before the rain falls.