“We will not relent in the fight against substandard alcoholic beverages,” — Mayor NZABONIMPA Emmanuel

Gicumbi District Mayor NZABONIMPA Emmanuel has urged local leaders to step up efforts to combat substandard alcoholic beverages, stressing that the Government remains committed to protecting public health and improving the well-being of citizens.

The Mayor made the remarks during a meeting held on 31 August 2026 with Sector leaders, Cell leaders and Deputy Cell leaders. During the meeting, he described substandard alcoholic beverages as a threat to national development and called for stronger cooperation between local leaders and communities to eliminate them.

In particular, Mayor NZABONIMPA stressed that the Government would not ease its campaign against such drinks and urged residents who still have them to surrender them to the relevant authorities for destruction.

“The Government will not relent in the fight against substandard alcoholic beverages. Residents who still have these drinks should hand them over to the relevant authorities for destruction and avoid the penalties they could face.”

In addition, the Mayor urged local leaders to use the Community Assemblies held on 1 September 2026 to strengthen the #HeheNicyuma campaign. The campaign seeks to encourage residents to abandon substandard alcoholic beverages and hand over any remaining stock to the relevant authorities.

He further emphasised:

“We should not wait for the authorities to confiscate these drinks. Anyone who still has them should voluntarily hand them over for destruction. This will help protect public health while allowing people to avoid legal consequences.”

Beyond the campaign against substandard alcoholic beverages, Mayor NZABONIMPA called for greater efforts to improve citizens’ participation in community-based health insurance, #EjoHeza, and other Government programmes aimed at improving household welfare.

Meanwhile, the meeting also addressed preparations for the 2027A agricultural season. Deputy Mayor in charge of Economic Development, Uwera Parfaite, urged Deputy Cell leaders to mobilise farmers to prepare early. At the same time, she called for closer cooperation with relevant institutions to ensure that essential agricultural inputs, including fertilisers and pesticides, are available to farmers on time.

Turning to disaster preparedness, Deputy Mayor in charge of Social Affairs, MBONYINTWARI JMV, called on local leaders to strengthen preparations for the upcoming short-rains season.

Accordingly, he urged leaders to identify disaster-prone areas in advance, take preventive measures and strengthen community preparedness in order to protect lives, property and development infrastructure.

Finally, MBONYINTWARI highlighted the approaching start of the new school term. He called on local leaders to work closely with families and communities to ensure that every child returns to school and receives the support necessary to learn effectively.

Overall, the meeting brought together local leaders and security officials to strengthen coordination and accelerate action on key priorities affecting public health, agriculture, disaster preparedness and the social well-being of residents across Gicumbi District.