With Gicumbi District set to eradicate the trade and usage of the intoxicating drink, an illegal alcoholic drink locally known as Kanyanga, residents say this will not be easy while the neighbouring country Uganda still makes the drug and does not consider it as a harmful drug.
Many residents of Gicumbi have been imprisoned for bringing in the country this Kanyanga illegally and for trading it but still people keep doing it. This is because Kanyanga is lucrative business that brings much money to the traders and taken by most people so some people find it worth the risk.
Authorities burning the illicit drink ‘Kanyanga’ (considered among illicit drugs in Rwanda)
“Our leaders are always on the fight of this drug but people keep bringing it in the country, imprisoned but still it is done. This is a problem and until Uganda stops making the drug, people will always be willing to take on the risk for the money it brings” says Athanase Ndungutse a resident.
Eradicating Kanyanga in Gicumbi district will also not be easy due to a group of the drug traders called Abarembetsi who vowed never to stop trading this drug and instead asked to let Kanyanga be brought in the country legally and pay its due taxes.
This drug is usually traded in sectors bordering Uganda especially Rubaya, kaniga na Cyumba, Rushaki, Manyagiro and Mukarange where people easily bring it in the country.
On the 11th.Feb.2013, leaders from Uganda and Rwanda had a debate on Kanyanga where Rwanda considers it s a drug but Uganda considers it as just liquor that is good for trade. It ended in misunderstandings where one country could not agree with the other s it was not banned.
The 2 countries however concluded with an understanding to stop the illegal trade of the drug between the countries and to stop those who take it across the border with no authorization.
Jerome Ngendabanga the executive secretary of Rubaya sector says that even though they do not cease to fight this drug and to take into custody the members Abarembetsi group but this drug still finds its way into the country.
According to the Rwandan constitution article 594 states that every person who takes, drui9nks, smells or injects him/herself or takes in any other way drugs or medicine that is considered drugs in Rwanda is punished by imprisonment from 1 to 3 years and a fine from Rwf50.000- Rwf500.000.
