Gicumbi: Green Party Pledges to Strengthen Environmental Protection
Residents of Gicumbi District have been engaged in a series of awareness and mobilisation activities, particularly those from Nyankenke and Byumba sectors, as the Green Party continues to strengthen its grassroots structures and promote environmental conservation.
The activities brought together party members for training sessions and discussions on the election of representatives at the sector level.
Led by the party’s President, Hon. Senator Dr. Frank Habineza, the discussions focused on the socio-economic advancement of party members and the wider population, with particular emphasis on environmental protection.
Other initiatives highlighted during the engagement included livestock-rearing programmes through which some beneficiaries receive animals and, once they reproduce, pass on offspring to other members of the community, creating a cycle of shared economic empowerment.
Speaking on September 6, 2026, Dr. Habineza said that although the Green Party is guided by several principles—including promoting human welfare, safeguarding national security and fostering collective action—environmental protection remains one of the key priorities the party intends to strengthen as part of Rwanda’s development agenda.
“We discussed and received training on how to strengthen environmental conservation, protect forests in our communities, safeguard rivers and maintain cleanliness. We also aimed to elect committees to represent citizens at the sector level,” Dr. Habineza said.
He added that representatives of women and youth were elected as part of efforts to bring the party’s structures closer to citizens and better understand their needs and priorities.
“We elected representatives of women and youth so that we can get closer to citizens and listen to their concerns. While we promote sustainable land management, we also encourage the cultivation of fruit trees such as avocado and other fruit-bearing trees because they provide significant benefits. We want to build structures that are closer to the people, extending down to the cell level, in line with the national agenda of bringing services and leadership closer to citizens,” he said.
Dr. Habineza further stressed that environmental conservation must begin within local communities while also being reinforced at the national level, particularly through efforts to promote development that protects Rwanda’s national parks and other natural ecosystems.
Uwimana Claudine, a Green Party member who spoke to Green Africa, said that although some people in rural areas still lack a full understanding of the value of environmental conservation, those who have undergone the party’s training have developed a stronger awareness of their responsibilities.
She said the training had helped them understand the importance of protecting forests and preventing the misuse of rivers and other water resources.
“We were trained on environmental conservation to the extent that no one would simply cut down a tree without justification, and no party member would deliberately throw waste into rivers. At the same time, we are looking at economic development through livestock farming. In my case, I have already received a pig, and once it reproduces, I will pass on the offspring to another person,” Uwimana said.
Dusabyimana Theoneste, the Green Party representative in Gicumbi District, said the party currently has members across eight sectors and plans to extend its activities to two additional sectors in the coming days.
“We have residents in eight sectors, but we are planning to work with two more sectors in the near future. We will continue protecting the environment and fighting poverty among citizens, and we intend to do this for everyone, rather than focusing only on members of our party,” he said.
Dusabyimana said that, alongside environmental conservation, the party is also promoting livestock-sharing initiatives aimed at improving household livelihoods.
According to him, some beneficiaries have already made significant economic progress through livestock farming, including building homes from income generated through the activity.
He added that the party intends to expand these initiatives to all 21 sectors that make up Gicumbi District.
