Launch of the Akagera Fence by the Rwanda Development Board

On 5 September 2013, the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) held an event at Akagera National Park to officially launch the 120km boundary fence which was completed earlier this year.

Guest of Honour was the Hon. Minister for Internal Security, Sheikh Mussa Fazil Harerimana, and among other guests were the Mayor of Kayonza, John Mugabo; the Executive Secretary for the Eastern Province, Jean Marie Vianney Makombe; Claire Akamanzi, RDB’s CEO and Rica Rwigamba, Head of Tourism and Conservation for RDB. Around 300 local community members came to witness the launch with other invited guests including RDB and Akagera Management Company staff, tour operators, the supervising engineering company, Edicco, and TnH EME who were contracted to construct the fence.

The fence was commissioned by the Government of Rwanda and cost over US$2.5 million. It is the first of its kind in the country and stretches along 120km of the southern and western boundary of the park. It is fully electrified using solar power and took over a year to complete. Along the fence line, nine fence attendants’ houses have been built approximately every 20 kms apart, which also serve as bases for the solar equipment powering the fence. Akagera Management Company currently has 42 fence attendants patrolling the entire fence line on a daily basis.

The fence has been a long-awaited project for the local community and the park as it will substantially reduce human-wildlife conflict on the boundary of the park, whilst helping to reduce incidents of poaching inside the park. The establishment of the fence also marks an important step towards the re-introduction of lion and black rhino into Akagera.

The community benefits from the presence of the fence as this has reduced human-wildlife conflicts