{"id":105172,"date":"2025-07-10T17:13:56","date_gmt":"2025-07-10T17:13:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/all-news\/minister-warns-against-unsafe-housing-in-musanze-rubavu"},"modified":"2025-07-10T17:32:26","modified_gmt":"2025-07-10T17:32:26","slug":"minister-warns-against-unsafe-housing-in-musanze-rubavu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/photo\/minister-warns-against-unsafe-housing-in-musanze-rubavu","title":{"rendered":"Minister Warns Against Unsafe Housing in Musanze Rubavu"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Rwanda. <\/strong><\/span>In Musanze and Rubavu districts, where hundreds were displaced by floods and landslides, in 2023, many families are rebuilding\u2014but some are doing so unsafely.<\/p>\n

The Minister in charge of Emergency Management, Albert Murasira, on Wednesday, July 9, cautioned against a rise in poorly constructed, tall homes that could collapse under future disasters.<\/p>\n

Murasira made the call during a two-day tour of the two disaster prone districts. Speaking to Musanze residents during a ceremony to provide new homes to disaster-affected families, Murasira emphasized that communities from the volcanic region “should remain vigilant in preventing disaster-related causes, ensuring that their homes are strong and resilient.”<\/p>\n

“I have suggested that local authorities mind proper settlement and construction models. There are structures that resemble multi-story buildings which look quite ordinary, yet their roofs are nearly five meters high,” he explained.<\/p>\n

“This kind of construction consumes a lot of trees, damaging the environment; hence contributing to climate change which ultimately causes disasters.”<\/p>\n

The Minister in charge of Emergency Management, Albert Murasira, speaks to journalists in Musanze District, on Wednesday, July 9.<\/p>\n

For Murasira, home designs should be revised and closely monitored by local authorities, ensuring that the homes built are resilient to natural calamities.<\/p>\n

“We recommended that people should revise construction designs, adopt small houses which can resist climate change rather than building tall structures that can be swept away by wind,” he added.<\/p>\n

The minister also presided over a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of 870 new houses for communities in Rubavu, on Thursday, July 10.<\/p>\n

Local residents who were left homeless by the 2023 heavy rains and landslides like Emmanuel Nsengiyumva shared their experiences.<\/p>\n

“The roof of my house was brown away by heavy wind. It was very fragile not like this new house we received today,” Nsengiyumva, 42, a resident of Musanze District, recounted.<\/p>\n

“These homes are better because we lived in the mountains where it was difficult for children to walk to school. But it’s safe here,” Chantal Nirere a resident of Rugerero Sector, in Rubavu District, added.<\/p>\n

“Houses were in a high-risk zone, and in poor conditions. We were not able to construct a good house.”<\/p>\n

Seraphine Nyiraneza, 35, also from Rugerero Sector, emphasized the need for strong foundations.<\/p>\n

“There is a need for construction of houses with deeper foundations to ensure they are resistant to floods during heavy rains; also, cementing them is vital.”<\/p>\n

Houses built with poor-quality materials and roofs as high as five meters are a worrying trend in the region.<\/p>\n

A groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of 870 new houses in Rubavu District, on Thursday 10.<\/p>\n\r\n