I sleep under light, Tumukuzire, a former wetland user, says

Published By MWE |  June 17, 2025

Ms Imelda Tumukuzire, a resident of Kagorogoro 3, Mwongera parish, Katerera sub-
county, Rubirizi district, could never imagine she would one day sleep under a well-lit
house. Although she had managed to construct a decent house, she could not manage
the cost of installing electricity. When the government announced that wetland users
should voluntarily vacate the wetlands, she was hopeful that her needs would be
addressed soon.
In 2021, Ms Tumukuzire received one piglet. This, to her, was a turning point. She
managed to take good care of the pig, which she later sold at shillings one million two
hundred thousand, the proceeds of which she bought some goats, and paid school fees
for her grandchildren. The balance of which she used to install power in her house.
“I am happy with the project because I have been able to acquire things that I wouldn’t
have been able to achieve had it not been for this project,” she said.
With the power in her house, Tumukuzire plans to start a shop where power would
help a great deal. She is also happy that with the wetland restored, the community is
receiving a lot of rain. “We have a lot of rain after we voluntarily left the wetland. If there

are people still in the wetlands, I urge them to leave because I have realised the
benefits of restoring ecosystems,” she further said.