The RDF Citizen Outreach Programme 2018 was launched on 23 April 2018, in Southern Province where the Minister of Agriculture Hon Geraldine Mukeshimana,the Rwanda Defence Force Army Chief of Staff, Lt Gen Jacques Musemakweli and Honorable Governor of the Southern Province joined Mugina sector inhabitants to plant onions on approximately 5hectars out of 76hectars of the entire marshland.

After the planting of onion seeds and water canalization for irrigation scheme, Hon Minister of Agriculture, Lt Gen Musemakweri and Hon Governor have met Mugina residents to talk about RDF citizens outreach programs, and many other programs related to this.

“The army is made of your children,and these children have come to give you a hand, as we jointly rise for the development of this country” stated The Rwanda Defence Force Army Chief of Staff, Lt Gen Jacques Musemakweli.

He again said that the army is here to help in various development programs such as, construction of schools, and different infrastructures such as bridges and roads.

Honorable Governor of the Southern Province, has put emphasis on the difference between the current army, and the army before the 1994 Genocide against tutsis, where she stressed that the current army is characterized by humanity, and strive for peace, stability and the development of Rwanda, which was not the case before.

“in all your life, have you ever seen a general doing a community work, in the interest of a poor person?” she asked. 

Minister urged the public to be disciplined and hard workers, "a hard worker is never a laughing stock and never will the development starts with self-convinced mind of optimism." She stated.

Kamonyi is one of the most affected region and victim of erosion, because the constructions that are not following the norms of water harvesting and fighting erosion.

Again farmers were requested to increase the planting of vegetables in order to fight malnutrition and stunting.

In today's work, all participants have planted onions on 5ha out of 76ha of the entire marshland, which is being managed by a cooperative made of 591 members, among them 60 are youth, 454 men and 137 women.