The Nkotsi and Bikara spring is a historical water source located in Nkotsi Sector, Musanze District, and holds significance not only locally but also nationally in Rwanda. Historically, during the era of the monarchy, this spring was the source of water used by royal attendants, known as “Abiru”, to fetch water for the king’s bath. The bathing place was a cave-like site, hidden within a forest.
A 75-year-old elder, Hakizimana Yosefu, shared details about these traditional rituals.
“One piece of history here is that the water used for the king’s ceremonial bath was fetched from this spring. Of course, the king wouldn’t bathe in a public or open place. The forest you see here has a cave inside it, that’s where he bathed.” He spoke
Some of the local residents also spoke about the significance of the spring in their daily lives and appealed to the authorities to preserve the site and promote it as a tourist attraction.
Uwimana Divine, a local resident at the Nkotsi and Bikara spring, said:
“This spring is very important to us as residents, it’s where we fetch water for cooking, washing clothes, and drinking. We rely on it for everything that requires water.”
She continued:
“This is also a naturally beautiful place. The surrounding forest gives us fresh air, and the clean water adds to its value. We, the people who live nearby, feel deeply connected to it and would love to see it preserved and developed into a proper tourist site. That would make us happy, and it would also attract visitors, boost tourism while helping in the environment protection.”
Claudien Nsengimana, the Mayor of Musanze District, stated:
“In Musanze District, we have developed what we can call a strategic plan, where we are identifying different tourism sites to develop, and the Nkotsi and Bikara spring is one of them. This spring needs to be preserved as part of our broader environmental and tourism development strategy.”
The Nkotsi and Bikara spring is located in Nkotsi Sector and is surrounded by a forest covering more than 10 hectares, known as Buhanga Forest Eco Park. Preserving the spring and its surroundings would not only help conserve the environment but also attract tourists bringing foreign exchange into the country and creating jobs for local residents.
