On 3 August 2023, the Plenary Sitting of the Senate tasked the Government to speed up the implementation of measures to solve issues that were found in IDP model villages and other settlement centres.
The Plenary Sitting of the Senate made the recommendations after considering the report pf the Senators’ field visit activities in all districts and the City of Kigali to monitor the status and management of IDP Model Villages and other settlement centres “imidugudu”, which were carried out from 13 to 19 June 2023.
The Plenary Sitting also recommended the Government to continue to facilitate citisens who live in those villages in the creation of productive and descent work including professions, crafts, trade, and other profitable projects, in ways of supporting their everyday agricultural activities.
Besides Senators committed to continuing to monitor the implementation of the rural settlement programme.
Among other opportunities, Senators found out that the rural settlements programme has offered to the citizens living comfortable especially those who were removed from various high-risk zones, gaining economic and physical infrastructures, and favored rational land use and management.
During the outreach activities, Senators noticed that some issues that were identified during by the Ad Hoc Committee in 2022 were being solved, including old and poorly constructed houses that have started to be built and others that were newly being built, other villages that having access to water and electricity infrastructures.
Despite, Senators identified some persisting issues in villages settlements that need to be quickly addressed include reconstruction of some old houses, handling poor hygiene, and the need of enough basic infrastructures such as water and electricity in some villages.
Senators visited 61 IDP Model Villages and other Settlement Centres, with the intent of reaching at least two sites per district, including one IDP Model Village and one settlement centre. They met the citizens living in IDP Model Villages and other settlement centres and interacted with them to assess their socio-economic development.
