The Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement, Dr. Jean Damascène Bizimana, has revealed that 29,732 houses belonging to survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi need repair.
He made the remarks while appearing before the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to discuss the follow-up on resolutions from the plenary session of the Chamber of Deputies held on November 1, 2023, which had not been fully implemented.
Dr. Bizimana explained that although efforts are underway to address the housing challenges faced by Genocide survivors, greater coordination among government institutions is needed to ensure progress.
He noted, “About 6,973 houses for Genocide survivors need to be completely rebuilt. This fiscal year, only 296 houses are scheduled for construction. Considering the large number still required, there is a need for stronger inter-agency collaboration.”
The Minister also pointed out cases of financial mismanagement in local government administrations, noting that some districts diverted funds intended for constructing and maintaining survivors’ houses to other projects, such as building model villages, without confirming whether Genocide survivors benefited from them.
Dr. Bizimana stressed that funds misused in this way must be recovered and redirected to their intended purpose — building and rehabilitating houses for survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Parliamentarians also raised concerns about poor housing conditions, such as faulty chimneys and leaking roofs, which have affected the well-being of survivors.
MP Niwemahoro Wassila highlighted the issue of poorly built houses that leak during heavy rains, saying, “These problems need to be fixed because some survivors continue to live in difficult conditions despite being considered assisted.”
MP Mussolini Eugene added that poorly designed ventilation systems in clustered houses pose serious health risks due to smoke accumulation.
Dr. Bizimana acknowledged that the problems stem largely from construction flaws, and although building oversight is not directly under his ministry, he said MINUBUMWE will work closely with relevant agencies to ensure quality reconstruction and renovation.
He stated, “Even though construction oversight is not our direct mandate, we will collaborate with responsible institutions to ensure the repaired and newly built houses are durable and of high quality.”
Alphonse Rukaburandekwe, Director General of the Rwanda Housing Authority (RHA), said that his institution will closely monitor ongoing rehabilitation projects to prevent past mistakes from being repeated.
He also revealed budget discrepancies in construction costs across districts, despite the houses being of similar design.
“For instance,” he said, “in Bugesera District, one house costs 17.3 million Rwandan francs, while in Kayonza it costs 16.5 million, and in Nyamagabe, up to 20 million francs.”
Minister Bizimana noted that in Rusizi District, a house built by FPR Inkotanyi party members for a vulnerable survivor cost only 9 million francs, yet was stronger than some that cost 20 million francs.
He suggested that delegating construction authority to districts could help reduce costs, increase the number of houses built, and improve quality through stronger local oversight.
Districts found to have misused funds or failed to meet construction standards will be held accountable, and the misallocated funds will be recovered to fulfill their original purpose of providing safe and decent housing for Genocide survivors.
