In Uwamusebeya cell, Ruheru sector, peasants living in the vicinity of Nyungwe National Park complain that wild animals called “Ibihinyage” are ravaging their fields. They need to be compensated for their crops.

As Ndayisenga Fréderic, one of the inhabitants of this cell, explains, when these animals ravage their fields, they inform the SGF (Special Guarantee Fund), but this fund has not yet done anything.

“These animals devastated my maize fields for 180m and that of sorghum for 87m. I made a list of everything that was damaged and gave it to the District for reimbursement. But, until today nothing has been done,” said Ndayisenga indignantly.

Farmers are calling for more effective protection against these animals to prevent them from going beyond the park. These protective measures have already been taken by RDB in two other parks in the country. This is the Akagera National Park with a hundred kilometers electric fence and in the stone wall built in the Volcanoes National Park.

Niyitegeka Félicien, Deputy Head of Finance and Development in the District of Nyaruguru reassures the population and promises that discussions are underway with the RDB to find together a definitive solution to these incidents and see how to reimburse the victims.

“There will be collaboration between the authorities of the District and those of the sector, we will study together all these complaints caused by these animals which have damaged the fields so that the victims are compensated”, reassured Niyitegeka.

These problems caused by the animals of the park do not only occur in the sector of Ruheru because even the inhabitants of the Sectors of Kivu, Muganza and Nyabimata, around this park do not stop complaining.