The Muhanga District Council has announced that by the end of the 2025/2026 fiscal year, residents of Muhanga city will have access to an adequate and reliable water supply—a key development priority for the district.

This announcement comes amid ongoing complaints from city residents about persistent water shortages.

Some neighborhoods reportedly go for an entire month without water, even under the water rationing system currently managed by the Water and Sanitation Corporation (WASAC), Muhanga branch.

While unveiling the district’s 2025/2026 budget, the President of the District Council, Gilbert Nshimiyimana, told Kigali Today that addressing the water crisis will involve collaboration with the Rwanda Water Resources Board (RWB) and WASAC.

The plan includes upgrading and expanding the capacity of the Rugeramigozi reservoir to store a larger volume of water.

“This fiscal year will not end before the water issue is resolved,” Nshimiyimana said. “The work will be done in phases, with the first phase estimated to cost over Rwf 300 million. Subsequent phases will follow until the Rugeramigozi reservoir is fully capable of meeting the city’s water demands. This is one of the district’s major performance contracts and it must be delivered.”

AS Muhanga Football Club to Receive Rwf 250 Million

The Muhanga District Council has also allocated Rwf 250 million to AS Muhanga Football Club to support its participation in the Rwanda Premier League, which the team qualified for in the 2025 season after years in the second division.

This marks a significant increase from the club’s previous annual budget of just over Rwf 79 million. The increased funding aims to strengthen the team as it competes at the top level.

Nshimiyimana emphasized that the support will help the club build capacity, pay player salaries, improve player welfare, and meet other essential operational needs as a premier league team.

The total budget for Muhanga District for the 2025/2026 fiscal year stands at Rwf 35 billion. The funds will come from local revenue generation, contributions from development partners, and allocations from the central government for infrastructure and social development projects.

“Our economic development focus will be on building roads, bridges, and markets,” Nshimiyimana said. “In the social sector, we will construct new classrooms, renovate old ones, continue the school feeding program, support teachers’ welfare, and strengthen healthcare services and social protection through the VUP program.”

Regarding governance, he stated that efforts will be directed toward improving digital service delivery to prevent residents from making unnecessary trips for administrative services.

He also urged residents to continue embracing the city modernization initiative to attract more government support. Furthermore, he called on the private sector to contribute by paying taxes faithfully, especially as the district aims to collect nearly Rwf 2.5 billion from local taxes in the coming fiscal year.