The demonstration of Workers’ Day in Rumonge commune has been conducted in ‘Mbuga Stade’. It has been opened by prayer through God’s servants from the Anglican Church of Rumonge Diocese (The Rt. Rev. Pédaҫuli BIRAKENGANA) and the Roman Catholic Church of Rumonge Parish (Father Didier NDAYIKEZA). The demonstration started at 10:45am and several groups of workers began to enter the ground (stade) in their distinctive uniforms. There were more than 20 groups which represented all workers in the commune. The Guest of Honour was the Head of Province Official (Buramatari), Hon. Léonard NIYONSABA as invited by the Head of Commune Official (Musitanteri), Hon. Augustin MINANI.
Imboneza mu Bumenyi group was the first in the demonstrative procession and other groups followed. Ther groups included workers from hospitals, medical clinics, health centers, banks, commune office, students from several ECOFOs and LYCEEs as well as other organisations. They processed while expressing their harvests and exhibitions.
Regardless the fact that immediately after procession it began to rain strongly, traditional dramatists were at the front line to express that Rumonge people are determined, focused and willing to work hard. They danced several styles while it was raining for around 20 minutes (11:50am to 12:10pm). The situation was both sorrowful to see how wet they were and exciting when the constituency understand the lesson from them that a spirit of integrity in work is the seed yielding to community sustainable development.
The Head of Commune Official (Musitanteri) presented his speech by describing the National Workers’ Slogan (icivugo) that, IMBONEZA MU BUMENYI NIMUBE AKARORERO MU BANDI MU KURWIZA UMWIMBU. He added that, the slogan implies that our development is in our own hands through ‘ibikorwa rusangi, ibikorwa vyo Ku wa Gatandatu kumwe n’ibindi bikorwa dufise.’ He wished all the participants blessed Workers’ Day.
A Representative of Provincial Employers invited international pertners to invest in Burundi and assured that investment laws are being improved continously to ensure conducive investment environment. He expressed that in the province there is an organisation through which all workers’ concerns are being heard as the result workers feel confortable in working. He added that, the most enemies of development are corruption and embezzlement of government’s wealth (igiturire n’ugusahura itunga rya leta).
The history of Workers’ Rights Struggle may be traced back during 1886 in Chicago (USA province) where representatives of industrial workers claimed for workers rights. Some of them were demolished and consequently in 1889 there was a conference in France to review Chicago incidence for the aim of preventing a repetition of similar Human Rights violence. It was agreed to fix 1st May each year to be a commemoration date to take heed of workers rights. The government and other employers are requested to be certain in decision making that favour Workers’ Rights, said by the Representative of Employees in Rumonge Province.
He added that, the National Commission (Inama Mpanuzwa Ijambo) should work in cooperation to institutions which deal with Workers’ Rights. He thank the government for increasng salaries even though the same do not meet life needs of employees. The workers need to work happily with their needs to be at the particular level of satsfaction.
The Head of Province Official (Buramatari) of Rumonge offered his speech firstly by presenting the Workers’ Day Festival greetings from the Head of the State. The Day is not for show-off it rather provides citizens a special moment to look for how could we achieve the best interests of an employee, employer and the beneficiaries of the work. He described the National Workers’ Slogan stating that, IMBONEZA MU BUMENYI NIMUBE AKARORERO MU BANDI MU KURWIZA UMWIMBU.
He upheld that, Burundians have several resources and things to do for achieving enough harvests for use and surplus. The understanding of what we want and what we need helps us to have an inner influence of working tirelessly. Every person shall live in a good health, sufficient food, safe and clean water as well as other needs like fresh air. It is our opportunity to undergo self evaluation and in case of any weakness we would look for improvement measures and if necessary to find other personnel for cooperation.
The last year (2022) National Vision included to acieve an availability of sufficient food substance and good money circulation among of the citizens. Instead, the nation experiences insufficient goal achivement following laziness of some people who do not allocate their seeds for agriculture. Particularly, youths do not stand to their roles in development sector. Some leaders forget their responsibilities and instead they stand at the position of just enquiring the government support, he said.
The government is mostly interested in cooperationg with people who have already done a particular action that expresses readiness of community change. To express this intention, the government has a phrase stating that, ‘‘…uduhe, uze ufise ico uzanye’’. The government has trained and supported many youths and financed their development projects. He called every Burundian to think what to do as to achieve what he needs to be in the year 2040. This shall help all citizens to avoid any tip of regreting in the future. Particularly, educated people should not regret to their formal education instedy they should put into practice their life skills like agriculture, archtecture and other manual works in light of their formal education. He insisted that ‘‘twese tuje hamwe ata n’umwe asigaye inyuma’’.
Secondly, the Head of Provincal Office required citizens to work hard with openness, unity, accountability and be free to communicate their needs for improvement of their activities towards sustainable evelepment and National Workers’ Policy (icivugo c’ abakozi). He closed hes speech by wishing a good Workers’ Day to all people.
