RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
5.2. I. Size of households
5.2.7. Languages spoken by households and household heads
Overall, the official languages of administration in Rwanda are French, English and Kinyarwanda. But people communicate in the common national vernacular Kinyarwanda and as lingua franca for business Swahili and Lingala
At the national level, Kinyarwanda is the most spoken language. Table 5. 11 shows that
nearly all members (96.1%) speak Kinyarwanda while few speak French (23.6%),
Swahili (12.2%) and English (8.4%). French comes second because Rwanda was
colonised by Belgium, a French speaking country. However, it is spoken by people who
attended secondary or tertiary education. A large number of Swahili speakers are from
Cyangugu town, at the border with the Congo where the language is spoken. English
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speakers are former Rwandan refugees from English speaking countries and some members who completed secondary and tertiary education. Other language speakers (3.9%) are people from exile, especially infants who still speak languages from where th v lived mainly Lingala and local languages from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Kirundi from Burundi. More than 20 percent of people speak at least two languages.
There is a relationship between education and languages spoken, and between the languages spoken and the exiled background of people. People, who completed their secondary or tertiary education in Rwanda, speak Kinyarwanda and French whereas those from exile in English speaking countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and others African countries speak Kinyarwanda and English. It was rare to find people who spoke foreign languages without having completed a Secondary education before the genocide. In contrast to other African countries with many tribes and languages, all Rwandese have the same language and that is why they have not been stimulated to learn other languages. However, the results of this survey show that some children born outside Rwanda during the genocide cannot speak Kinyarwanda at all. They speak other African languages: Lingala for those from Western Congo (DRC), and Kirundi for those from Burundi (Table 5.11).
Table 5. 11: Languages spoken by household's members (n=561) (Multipk responses).
Frequency Percent
Kinyarwanda 539 96.1
French 132 23.6
Kiswahili 68 12.2
English 47 8.4
I
Other (Lingala, Kirundi.) 22 3.9
I
As for household's members, there is a relationship between languages spoken by household's heads and the level of education. People who completed secondary and tertiary education speak more than one language as English and French were compulsory at school. Besides Kinyarwanda spoken by all respondents (100%), 42%
household heads speak French for reasons given above. In both Butare and Cyangugu
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towns, relatively few people speak Swahili (25",''<:) and English (13%).At the national level Kinyarwanda is spoken by 9<).4%. French (3.9%) Swahili and English (1.9%) (ONAPO,2002).
Table 5.12: Languages spoken by heads of households (n= I 00) (Multiple responses).
FrequcnC) I Percent
K inyarwanda 100 I 100
French -12 -12
Kiswahili 2.- 25
English I '-' 13
5.2.8.
Ethnic affiliation of household's headsIt is important to note that in Rv-anda children belong to their father's ethnic group. In the same household one could find ooth ethnic affiliations. As people were still traumatized by the genocide and distrust onc other, ethnicity has not been used in official parlance but it has been present in daily life. The research found it difficult but necessary to collect data about the ethnic affiliation of heads of households.
Findings showed that 62% of household's heads in the sample were TlItsis and 38%
were Hutus. Although the exact proportion of Hutus and Tutsis are not known and are not the priority of authorities in Rwanda. data above contrast with the general statement that the Hutu ethnic group represents the majority or people both in rural and urban areas, before and after the genocide. Figures from scholars show that in the country Hutus make up about 85% and 90,4% of the population. 15% and 8.2% for Tutsis (Doug, 2003: Prunier, 1991: 1995). The large number of TlItsis household's heads is due: first, to the insecurity which prevailed in rural areas after the genocide which pushed survivors to migrate into towns and second. the suburbs settlement "Imidugudu"
mainly occupied by widows and orphans from genocide and former Tutsis from exile.
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Table S. 13: Ethnic affiIiation of household's heads (n= I 00) Frequenc, Percell
Hutu 38 38,0
Tutsi 62 62,0
Total 100 100,0
5.2.9.
Background of leadersIt was found that the majority of leaders of sampled areas were not living in the same towns before the genocide. In Butare town leaders who lived in the country before the genocide represent only 25% whereas in Cyangugu they represent 50%. Although. the majority of residents are males. most units are led by females (Table 5.14), Leaders were predominantly females (62,5%). Males represent only three-eighths (37.5%) in leadership of areas of study (TableS.14). Except for one leader aged over 60. others were middle-aged with age bet'v\een 30 and 49 Jears. All leaders were married. The reason given was that married people were morc stable. therefore deserved more confidence in management of society. Cases have been reponed just after the genocide where new single managers fled the country \\ ith the municipality's cash.
Table 5.14 shows that all of leaders completed at least secondary education (75%) and 25% tertiary education, Although leaders \vere democratically elected. there was a minimum of secondary education required for Coordinator and Mayors' posts. In addition, urban areas where most settlers are educated need leaders who have a sufficiently high standard of education.
As most leaders have a high level of ecluc(l[ion. R7.5% speak French. 37,5% English and 87.5% Kiswahili. The education level added to the fact that the majority of leaders interviewed was living abroad before the genocide, explains also their tluency in speaking several languages especially Kiswahili and English. This is an advantage for leader to communicate with members of di fferent administrative units from various backgrounds.
Table5.14: Background or leaders (n=R) (Mulliple responsGsl.
Frequency Percent
Sex:
Male ,
.' 37.5
Female 5 62.5
Age:
30-34 2 25
35-39 .:j 50
45-49 I 12. -
60 I 12.5
Education level:
Secondary 6 75
Tel1iary 5 25
Languages spoken:
Kinyarwanda 8 100
French
I
7 87.5I
English.,
-' 7.5Swahili :
7 87.5
Marital status:
Married 8 100 I
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