As election campaigns approach a finish line in the race for the mid July Presidential elections, Frank Habineza, the presidential candidate for the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, has committed to build a milk processing plant in Gicumbi if elected. Speaking on July 10 during a rally in Byumba Sector, Gicumbi District, Habineza outlined his vision for enhancing local infrastructure and supporting the agricultural sector.
Throughout his tenure in parliament, the Green Party candidate has maintained a strong presence in Gicumbi, emphasizing the party’s commitment to delivering on its promises. “We are not afraid to canvas for votes because we have achieved over 70 percent of what was in our manifesto,” Habineza asserted.
Habineza’s campaign also focuses on expanding public health insurance to cover all necessary medications and improving the school feeding program by allocating more funds for nutritious meals. These initiatives aim to address critical areas of public welfare and education.
Highlighting the challenges faced by Gicumbi’s dairy industry, Habineza pointed out the district’s renowned high-quality cow’s milk but noted the difficulties in milk collection. While a milk powder factory operates in nearby Nyagatare District, he stressed the need for a local processing facility. There is a factory in Nyagatare District, a considerable distance from Gicumbi. We plan to establish a factory in each sector to process agricultural and livestock products.” he explained.
Habineza assured Gicumbi residents that a local processing plant would increase the value of their milk, making it more marketable in Kigali and for export to Uganda. “Collection centers are good for storing milk, but we need to process it, package it well, and send it to Kigali. We can also export to Uganda due to its proximity. The key is to increase the value,” he explained.
Campaigning alongside 50 parliamentary candidates, Habineza aims to secure greater representation for the Green Party in the Chamber of Deputies, which had two members in the recently dissolved parliament.
