Kirehe, 16^th May 2017 – The Government of Rwanda, through the Ministry of Infrastructure is in drive to promote universal access to clean water and adequate sanitation for ALL to improve hygiene and social welfare of communities countrywide. To start with, on the occasion of launching the 2017 Police week, Rwanda National Police in partnership with the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Ministry of Local Government are constructing households’ latrines and connecting water taps in grouped settlement for vulnerable people. The exercise was officially launched in Kirehe District by the Minister of Local Government, Honorable Francis Kaboneka accompanied by the Governor of Eastern Province, Mrs. Kazayire Judith and the Inspector General of Police, Emmanuel Gasana.

This important pilot and joint activity started in villages located in six districts such as Kirehe, Rwamagana, Gasabo, Nyaruguru, Burera and Rutsiro to mark the annual ‘Police Week’ flagship. The purpose of the partnership is to promote the access and improvement of water supply and sanitation for ALL through the provision of model improved latrines, water points as well as solar home systems. At least 150 households in Kirehe District received solar systems; four water taps constructed to serve 620 families and two improved modern latrines handed to two families.

Special communal work was conducted by construction of 10 kilometers of roads, construction of water points, construction of individual household latrines and handover of solar home systems to some of the beneficiaries in bid to have access to basic infrastructures for improved standards of living.

To gear up and accelerate the program of increasing water and sanitation services, the Ministry of Infrastructure is planning a one-year awareness campaign countrywide as a way to attain the target of 100% coverage for water and sanitation by 2020. This is when the same activities will be conducted in the remaining Districts.

Minister of Local Government, Francis Kaboneka, argued the residents to have ownership and protect these vital infrastructure facilities such as solar energy kits, feeder roads and clean water taps to improve their social welfare and promote hygienic environment towards sustainable development.

These activities are in line with National Water Supply Policy and the National Sanitation Policy and their respective implementation strategies with the target to attain 100 % coverage of improved water supply and sanitation facilities by 2020.