GITEGA / BUJUMBURA / BUBANZA, August 10th (ABP) – All the communes of Burundi celebrated the Communal Day on Saturday August 7, checks in the communes by ABP revealed.
In Giheta commune of Gitega province (central Burundi), the Head of State, Mr. Evariste Ndayishimiye, who joined the people of his native commune in the celebration of the day dedicated to the commune, invited all Burundians to promote positive cultural values and to combine their efforts in the execution of the development work of their communes to achieve an integral development of Burundi.
The ceremonies took place in Gihuga village of the Kabanga zone in an atmosphere of conviviality of the numerous people of the different socio-professional categories of the 31 villages of the Giheta commune.
The President of the Republic of Burundi, who was accompanied by his Better Half, Mrs. Angéline Ndayishimiye, indicated that this day constitutes a favorable framework to assess the achievements made in the past year and to plan future prospects. He thus congratulated the communes that stand out in development work and invited others to follow suit. He congratulated the people of Giheta commune for the progress made in the work to increase production and encouraged them to move forward.
The Head of State called on the Burundians to revalorize the cultural values which formed the basis of the unity of the Burundians during the pre-colonial period. He mentioned in particular the primacy of God in everything and everywhere, nationality, the national language, collegial work, mutual aid, respect for human dignity, good management of the national heritage, peaceful conflict resolution, environmental protection and various craft activities. He deplored the deterioration of some of those values caused by the demon that sowed divisions under the pretext of ethnic or other affiliations. He thus invited the Burundians to overcome all kinds of divisions to unite their efforts in the various development works.
President Ndayishimiye called on the administrative authorities to show responsibility by putting the public interest at the forefront. He recommended that they serve as a model for the people in promoting self-development projects that should start in their families and then extend to the level of communes. He recommended in particular the promotion of small livestock, vegetable gardens, and hill irrigation of fields during the dry season and the initiation of innovative projects to produce local objects. He asked the administrative authorities to regularly monitor the daily life of their people in order to provide timely responses. President Ndayishimiye invited the people to share meals and drinks with joy and serenity like members of the same family.
In her speech, the administrator of Giheta commune, Mrs. Micheline Ninahaza, presented a positive assessment of the past year in the various sectors of that commune. She appreciated the enthusiasm of the farmers who are members of the “Tsindamapfa” cooperative of the Kiriba zone, who mark their visibility in the irrigation of their fields and regularly harvest good agricultural yields. They serve as models for farmers in the surrounding areas. Still in the field of agriculture and livestock, many farmers and breeders are showing enthusiasm for associations and cooperatives. They receive technical support, agricultural inputs and equipment.
In terms of education, new schools, such as the School of Excellence of Musama Village, are also under construction. She also commended the commitment of the native leaders of that commune to restore the quality of education. She therefore thanked the entire population for their involvement in the execution of development work, in this case the native leaders of that commune. The communal administrator took the opportunity to announce the gift of a Kirezi cow that the commune gave to the President of the Republic.
Giheta commune also awarded certificates of honor to more than ten natives who showed self-giving and dedication to the various development works of the commune. The commune also awarded a certificate of honor and an envelope to the student Philibert Irakoze from the communal high school of Bukinga, who was ranked 1st in the Communal Directorate of Education of Giheta during the national competition for 9th grade of the past school year, with a mark of 176 points out of 200. The communal administration of Giheta has also promised that student the payment of school fees during the next school year. The commune also offered a certificate of honor and an envelope to the director of Gisuru Basic School, who ranked 1st in the 9th year competition, with a success rate of 91.3%.
The Head of State greatly appreciated the student who took 1st place in the 9th grade competition. As an encouragement, President Ndayishimiye promised that student the provision of school materials and school fees during the 2nd and 3rd post-basic years. He also awarded a cow to the director of that communal high school of Bukinga who had a better winner. He also offered two cows to the group of drummers of Gishora.
In Ntahangwa commune of the Bujumbura City Council, that celebration went well, a check by ABP revealed.
The communal administrator, Mr. Ernest Niyonzima, said that peace and security, which are considered the pillar of development, are in good shape. He spoke of the activities already carried out and those in progress.
In addition, he said, the authorities of Ntahangwa commune are working to eradicate the consumption and marketing of alcoholic beverages. He praised the work of the security forces in their job of identifying people who live in the commune without being registered in household notebooks or without an identity card.
In the sector of health, Mr. Niyonzima reported that the commune officials have carried out awareness campaigns urging the people to respect hygiene measures in order to fight against Covid-19.
Regarding the development of that commune, the communal administrator of Ntahangwa said that some improvement was noticed in the collection of taxes and duties. He said that the commune has organized construction work for various public infrastructures, such as the Gihosha Technical School and the Ntahangwa commune office. Those constructions are carried out thanks to the means coming from the Office of the President of the Republic and the Bujumbura City Council, he said, mentioning that the construction is not yet finished.
In addition, the communal administrator said the commune, assisted by the first lady of Burundi, Mrs. Angeline Ndayishimiye, has organized itself to provide assistance to the vulnerable in that locality.
However, Mr. Niyonzima deplored that the education sector faces many challenges, including the lack of school benches because, he noted, there are four pupils on the same bench. To that end, he pleaded for the Bujumbura City Council to contribute in that direction.
The mayor of Bujumbura City, Mr. Jimmy Hatungimana, was among the guests at the party. He agreed to give assistance equivalent to 600,000 benches for the pupils. He also promised to help in the rehabilitation of destroyed classrooms, in collaboration with the Provincial Director of Education (DPE). The Bujumbura City Council will also get involved so that the work of the infrastructure under construction is completed, he promised, asking the natives of the Ntahangwa commune to safeguard peace and security by contributing to the eradication of prohibited drinks.
Mr. Hatungimana also sensitized the people to respect the hygiene measures taken by the Ministry of Public Health and the Fight against AIDS to fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
In Bubanza commune and province (north-west of Burundi), the native executives of that locality have, during the celebration of the day dedicated to the commune on Saturday the 7th, were called on to return to their respective villages in order to give their contributions in the implementation of development projects in those localities in which they were born and grew up.
In her speech, the administrator of Bubanza commune, Mrs. Olive Niyonkuru, said she was satisfied with the contribution of local residents, native executives and other partners in the implementation of various development projects. To that end, she mentioned the construction of 41 sources developed by the Muslim community of that commune, the distribution of selected seeds and agricultural inputs by the projects of IFAD and ADISCO, the construction of 10 classrooms, the drinking water supply, rehabilitation of roads and bridges, and environmental protection.
During that celebration, one of the native executives of Bubanza commune pledged his contribution for the electrification of Ruvumvu village, the availability of electricity meters and a transformer for the electrification of Kanama village and the Muramba zone. He also promised his participation in public lighting, a check in Bubanza by ABP revealed.
As for the chairman of the communal council, Mr Gervais Ndayizeye, he asked for the concentration of efforts on quality education which, according to him, is one of the major pillars of development. Nevertheless, he deplored the low participation in that day dedicated to the commune.
The communal administrator and the chair of the communal council of Bubanza invited the native and resident executives to take care of the development of their villages. The other appeal was that of following closely the elected village officials in order to check whether they are working in the line of the responsible and hard-working State.
Note that this Communal Day was marked by the sharing of local food and drinks.