English
Kinyarwanda
Rwanda National Police (RNP) has appealed to the general public to exercise precautionary measures against disasters and to desist from any practices that put their lives at risk.
The call follows an incident on Thursday in Nyamagabe District, where five people, who had sneaked into a rock tunnel to pray, drowned following heavy downpour.
The incident occurred in Kamuhirwa Village, Ngoma Cell in Cyanika Sector where 10 people had stealthily gone to pray at the backdrop of several warnings against such risky beliefs’ practices.
All the deceased are residents of Kirambi Cell, Nyagisozi Sector in Nyanza District. They include a mother identified as Jeannette Mukeshimana and her one-year-old daughter.
Other victims are Anastase Munyengabe, 25, Jean Laurent Havugimana, 28, and Verdianne Mukamazera, 70.
The Police spokesperson of Southern region, Chief Inspector of Police (CIP) Sylvestre Twajamahoro, said that 10 people including a baby are from Nyagisozi Sector in Nyanza, while another person hails from Bigazi Village, Nyanzoga Cell in Cyanika Sector, Nyamagabe District.
“It is suspected that they entered the tunnel at about 2pm without being noticed by anyone. When torrential rain came later at about 6pm, it made Rukondo stream overflow its banks into the rock tunnel, where they were praying from. Six of them managed to find their way out, unfortunately five others including a baby and the mother, drowned,” CIP Twajamahoro said.
“The unfortunate incident came to light after survivors called Police and local authorities. Only three bodies were recovered on Friday morning on the shores of the stream in Nyagisozi, Nyanza District.”
CIP Twajamahoro named the survivors as Francine Mukankusi, 18, Donathille Dusingizimana, 21, Seraphine Uwizeyimana, 21, Theogene Hakizimana, 23, Emmanuel Niyigaba, 19, and Callixte Mujyambere, 78.
“Praying is not suicide; pray from safe places but not in the wilderness or underground where your lives are at high risk, especially in this period of heavy downpour. These are illegal and dangerous practices which should be reported wherever they exist,” the spokesperson advised.
