MURAMVYA, November 14th (ABP) – While on parliamentary vacation in his native province of Muramvya, the 2nd Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Abel Gashatsi, made a series of visits to the Mubarazi river marshes on Friday, November 8, 2024, where the people planted corn on more than 100ha. He also visited the main rice irrigation canal and a bridge linking the communes of Mbuye and Rutegama to the province of Kayanza, a check on the site by ABP has revealed.
The second Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly together with the Governor of Muramvya province, Euphrèm Ndikumasabo, the communal administrators of Mbuye and Rutegama, and leaders of the Turikumwe twese birashoboka Mubarazi cooperative, which groups together more than 4,500 farmers from the Mbuye and Rutegama communes.
On that occasion, the Director of the Provincial Environment, Agriculture and Livestock Office and Governor Ndikumasabo warmly welcomed the Hon.Abel Gashatsi on parliamentary vacation in his native province, to see the level of development but also what haunts him in that province.
Among the difficulties reported is a main rice irrigation canal threatened by collapse, at a time when the 100ha irrigated by that callus can yield between 8 and 10 tonnes per ha of rice.
Other infrastructures at risk, according to the governor and director of the BPEAE, are the bridge linking the communes of Mbuye, Rutegama and Kayanza province, passing through the Gasura zone in the commune of Mbuye. Those two personalities took it in turns to plead for skilled services to hurry up and put those infrastructures in good condition. They also pleaded for the Turikumwe twese birashoboka Mubarazi cooperative to be able to benefit from electricity so that their rice could be husked close to their stock on Taba hill. Electricity is there, but they need a transformer.
The Second Speaker of the National Assembly appreciated the fact that farmers in the Mubarazi-Kaniga marshes had continued to work their fields even during the 2024 C season. He warmly thanked the local administrators of Mbuye and Rutegama who had prepared the visit to the Mubarazi marshes, described as the country’s granary, in view of the good fields of mature maize found on site, fields which will soon be planted with rice seedlings.
Reacting to the challenges brought to his attention, Hon. Gashatsi agreed to grant one million Burundi francs to anticipate the rehabilitation of the main irrigation canal. He called on the natives and the relevant ministries, in that case those responsible for agriculture and infrastructure, to intervene as soon as possible to protect that infrastructure of general interest.
He invited the people of Muramvya province who had registered to vote in 2025 to show unity and vote for good leaders. Hon. Gashatsi also called on the population to safeguard peace and security because, he said, sustainable development is not possible where there is no peace.
It is worth noting that the 2nd Deputy Speaker of the Assembly joined in the celebration of the feast dedicated to teachers in Mbuye commune.