The apparitions of the Mother of the Word at the holy place of Kibeho constitute a precious divine gift. This gift can be a source of development, not only spiritual but also and above all economic. This is the point of view of the authorities of the Nyaruguru district and their 83 partners grouped within the JADF-Indashyikirwa Development Forum.
Janvier Gashema. Vice-mayor of Nyaruguru district, in charge of economic affairs and development, talks about the development opportunities offered by Kibeho to the district’s partners gathered on 24 February 2022 for their annual general meeting.
“We have been extremely lucky because Heaven has appeared to us. The apparitions were officially recognised by the Universal Catholic Church. Whether you are a believer or not, you can’t change history,” says Vice-Mayor Gashema confidently. He also invites all partners to draw the necessary conclusions. Focus on Kibeho.
“Let’s change our working methods and talk about Kibeho. Let’s interest the whole world,” he insists. “All the basic infrastructure is there: asphalt road, water and electricity, internet, the modern hospital in Munini. The time has come to talk about Kibeho,” he notes with determination.
This vision of Vice Mayor Gashema is shared unanimously with the district’s partners. The president of JADF-Indashyikirwa and representative of the Association Modeste et Innocent (AMI), Pastor Anicet Kabalisa, promises an offensive mobilization to make Kibeho known.
“It is time to coordinate our activities by insisting on the development of Kibeho, the capital of our district. Not only as a Holy Land but also as the cradle of the Rwandan culture of bravery. We will definitely participate in the development of this holy place,” says Pastor Kabalisa.
The commitment to develop Kibeho is shared by Mrs. Carine Akure. She represents the NGO “Young Women Christian Association” (YWCA). She promises to actively participate in the advocacy for Kibeho.
Before the COVID pandemic, it was estimated that about one million Rwandan and foreign pilgrims visited Kibeho every year. But the capacity of this holy place remains, to this day, insufficient.
Eric Muvunyi, a native of Kibeho, is convinced that the development that followed the Marian apparitions in other holy places such as Lourdes in France or Fatima in Spain can also be achieved in Kibeho. Currently, the small town of Lourdes, despite its 15,000 inhabitants, is the second largest city in France after Paris in terms of the number of hotel rooms, exceeding 100,000.
Domice Gasarabwe
