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Kigali, Rwanda | XINHUA | Rwanda on Tuesday celebrated the 29th anniversary of the liberation by inaugurating Rugerero Integrated Development Project Model Village that will house 120 selected vulnerable families in the Rubavu district in Western Province.
Among the vulnerable families to be accommodated at the model village are residents from different parts of the district that were affected by recent floods and landslides.
Rwanda celebrated the Liberation Day, known as Kwibohora locally, every year on July 4, when the Rwandan Patriotic Army, the armed wing of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) ended the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi that claimed more than 1 million lives in the country.
The model village that was constructed by the government and inaugurated by the Rwandan Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente features an early childhood development center, a mini market, playgrounds, a poultry shed and a health post for the residents.
The village, built at a cost of 18.4 billion Rwandan francs (about 15.87 million U.S. dollars), also has tarmac roads, electricity and clean piped running water.
Speaking at the event, Ngirente expressed solidarity with the local population who have recently suffered from disasters that resulted in the loss of lives and the destruction of infrastructure in the Rubavu district, as well as other districts in the Western and Northern provinces.
“The 4th of July is an incredibly significant day in our country as we celebrate the achievements our nation has made in terms of reconstruction, development, peace, and unity,” Ngirente said. “Today, we take great pride in reaching an exciting milestone as Rwandans after 29 years. Throughout our journey of reconstruction and development, we have placed immense reliance on the solid foundation of Rwandans’ unity. We promise to persistently strengthen and preserve this unity for the future.”
He also said that Rwanda’s achievements in the last 29 years were possible due to unity, good leadership and security the country has enjoyed and emphasized that the true essence of liberation lies in the pursuit of development.
While speaking to national broadcaster Rwanda Television during an exclusive interview in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, Tuesday, Rwandan President Paul Kagame said that despite the considerable achievements compared to where Rwanda has come from, the country is still far from reaching its aspirations.
For the past eight years, the government embarked on building affordable homes for vulnerable citizens in every district’s designated model village, with the completed homes often being handed over to needy citizens on every Liberation Day. ■
