Residents of Nyenyeri Village in Bwerankori Cell, Kigarama Sector, Kicukiro District, have expressed optimism following the election of new local leaders, saying they expect them to address community challenges, improve security and support development.
The residents shared their expectations after local government elections held on Saturday, October 24, 2026, in which Mukantwari Claudette was elected village leader, replacing Bigirimana Innocent, whose term had ended.
Residents said electing their own leaders gave them confidence that they knew whom to approach when facing problems, rather than having to seek help from higher authorities.
“Electing a leader is good because you know who to approach when you have a problem, instead of looking for other people to take your complaint to higher authorities,” one resident said.
Another resident said they had chosen leaders they believed could deliver tangible improvements in their daily lives.
“We want them to strengthen security for residents and their property, improve roads within the neighbourhood, and ensure people live in a clean and well-maintained environment,” the resident said.
Nsanzimana, another resident, said they expected the elected leaders to remain accessible and help find solutions to community problems.
“We need a leader who understands security issues. When a resident has a problem, they should be able to turn to the leader and find them available. Residents should not feel afraid of their leaders,” Nsanzimana said.
Although Mukantwari won the election, some residents had hoped Bigirimana would continue leading the village. However, he chose not to seek another term as village leader and instead contested the position responsible for information and training at the village level.
Reflecting on his time in office, Bigirimana said his leadership had focused on improving residents’ livelihoods, promoting self-reliance and encouraging communities to find solutions to their own challenges.
“Nyenyeri is a very good village with a vision for development. As you can see, it is situated high on a hill. We have built roads and taught residents to become self-reliant and understand that they must seek solutions within their own communities,” he said.
He added that residents had been encouraged to reduce spending on alcohol and invest more in activities that could improve their livelihoods. Parents were also urged to prioritise their children’s education.
Bigirimana said some parents had believed that because they themselves had not received an education, they had little reason to make an effort to educate their children. Local leaders worked to change that mindset, encouraging them to do everything possible to keep their children in school.
“We organised them into groups that help members pay community-based health insurance contributions and school fees for their children. As a result, you can find residents who have managed to save money,” he said.
Bigirimana also explained that his decision not to seek another term was partly influenced by Nyenyeri’s geographical and social characteristics. The village comprises two distinct areas: a more rural section that requires extensive community mobilisation and training, and an urban section where residents tend to understand and implement programmes more quickly.
Residents in other villages are expected to elect their leaders in the next round of village-level elections scheduled for October 31, 2026.
