Narcisse Nyabyenda, 37, and Hassan Nshimiyimana, 21, both from Bususuruke village, Kagano cell, Kitabi sector in Nyamagabe district, are in preventive detention at Tare police station for killing two cercopithecus monkeys in Nyungwe National Park.
According to Pacifique Hagenimana, executive secretary of the Kitabi sector, three individuals are suspected of having organized a hunt and killed two monkeys in Nyungwe National Park.
Two of them are under arrest. They are to be transferred to the Rwanda Bureau of Investigation (RIB) for investigation of their case. The third suspect, Faustin Nyandwi, escaped. The police are on his trail.
Law No. 48/2018 of 13 August 2018 on the environment, in its article 58, stipulates that any person who hunts, sells, injures or kills a protected animal species and its products commits an offence. When found guilty, he/she is liable to imprisonment of five (5) to seven (7) years and a fine of at least five (5) million Rwandan francs but not exceeding seven (7) million Rwandan francs.
Following this flagrant violation of the environmental law, the Vice Mayor in charge of economic development in Nyamagabe District, Lambert Kabayiza, together with the Reservists’ Commander in Nyamabage District, Major John Agaba, raided the local authorities and the local population bordering the Nyungwe National Park, with a view to sensitizing them to its safeguarding and the protection of its rich biodiversity.
Vice Mayor Kabayiza reminded the population that the Nyungwe forest is a highly protected area. Consequently, it is forbidden not only to go there without prior authorization, but also and above all to hunt and kill animals in the Park. Otherwise it is a crime punishable by several years of imprisonment.
Major Agaba, for his part, informed the population that traffic in Nyungwe Park is not allowed to go about as it pleases. He then reminded the inhabitants of the Kitabi sector of the advantages of sharing the boundaries with Nyungwe National Park. They will benefit in one way or another from its revenues.
Nyungwe National Park was created in 2005 by law no 22/2005 of 21/11/2005 creating Nyungwe National Park. It constitutes a forest massif of 970 km2, located in the southwest of the country. The park is home to various types of monkeys, including cercopithecines and chimpanzees, several birds, including eagles and tauracos, some felids, as well as several species of plants and trees.
Domice Gasarabwe & Gerard Rugambwa
