The Kirehe District authorities report that construction of the Rusumo Model Village—set to host families affected by the building of the Rusumo hydropower dam—has reached 95% completion. The project costs over four million US dollars.
The model village is located at the Rusumo border, in Kigarama Sector, Nyankurazo Cell, Nshungerezi Site. It will accommodate 80 families relocated from high-risk zones, including those displaced by landslides during construction of the Rusumo hydropower project.
Rusumo is a border point between Rwanda and Tanzania. The hydropower plant there, built at a cost of 468 million US dollars and jointly owned by Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania, generates 80 megawatts shared among the three countries.
On the Rwandan side, dam construction damaged some houses, forced others into high-risk zones, and left some families living on steep slopes. These factors led to the decision to build the new model village.
The village is fully equipped with essential infrastructure: water, electricity, a school, a health post, an administration office, and houses designed to host two families each (“2 in 1”).
Kirehe District Mayor Bruno Rangira explained that the original plan was to rehabilitate houses damaged by the dam. However, it was found less effective, and authorities opted for building a new, fully serviced village.
He said: “As you can see, this model village is well-designed with everything residents need. It includes an ECD, a school, and a cowshed for livestock farmers. It is a village that will improve people’s lives by providing decent housing.”
The project, valued at around five billion Rwandan francs, is funded by the World Bank through NELSAP.
