Gakenke: New Suspension Bridge Lights the Way for Nemba Villages

Residents of Nemba Sector in Gakenke District are celebrating the completion of a new suspension bridge connecting Kiryamo Village in Mucaca Cell to Kanunga Village in Gisozi Cell. For years, the Musange River made travel and daily life difficult, especially during the rainy season, when the strong currents often made it impossible to cross safely.

The bridge was constructed in partnership between Gakenke District and Bridge to Prosperity. It was completed in just two months at a cost of over 110 million Rwandan francs*, with the district contributing 40% of the funds.

Mukarusanga Clemence, a vendor at Gisozi Market, said the bridge will ease her daily business operations. “Shopping and transporting goods to other villages is no longer a challenge. Customers from across the river now cross easily. This bridge has taken us out of isolation,” she said.

Uwiduhaye Kezia, a resident of Kiryamo, explained how the river used to block access to schools. “Our children couldn’t attend class whenever the river flooded. It felt like we were locked in, but now we’re confident that they can reach school safely and on time,” she noted.

Ntahorugiye Anastase, from Musange Village, likened the new bridge to a pilotless drone. “It’s like we’ve been given a ‘drone’ to fly across. We used to build makeshift bridges ourselves, but floodwaters would wash them away. Now we have a strong and reliable bridge,” he said.

Tuyisenge Vedaste, another resident of Gisozi Cell, added, “This bridge is a solution for mothers taking children to health centers, for businesspeople, and for students. There’s nothing more important than being able to cross safely.”

District Mayor Mukandayisenga Vestine praised the long-standing partnership with Bridge to Prosperity and urged residents to take good care of the infrastructure. She specifically called on the bridge management committee to use the training they received to maintain the bridge and ensure its sustainability.

This bridge is one of 10 currently being built in Gakenke District, all designed to improve mobility and trade, and to lift communities out of isolation toward sustainable development.

By Libos NDAYISHIMIYE