Rwanda Natural Resources Authority (RNRA) has handed land certificates to 69 families and the family of Ngirira Mathieu in Rubavu district after disputes that lasted for more than 20 years.
The long standing conflicts are linked to the land of Ngirira Mathieu located in Mudende sector where the government settled 68 families of Rwandans who repatriated from Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 1995.
The 50 hectares of land in conflict belonged to late Ngirira Mathieu which was inherited by his brother Hategekimana Michel that claimed it and won the court case. He agreed with Rubavu district on the way of sharing the land.
The returnees, however, declined to leave the land which Hategekimana reported to President Paul Kagame during the recent visit held in Rubavu district on March, 2016 who asked the concerned parties to move fast in resolving the case.
Hategekimana consented to donate 20 hectares to returnees and the government gave 32 hectares to returnees on which the repatriated families have been duly settled.A land certificate of remaining 30 hectares was handed to the family of Ngirira Mathieu on Saturday as families of repatriates received land certificates of where they have been allocated.
After receiving the land certificate, Hategekimana Michel on behalf of the family lauded president Kagame for helping him to recover the land which put to an end a long standing land dispute.
“I voice my appreciation to President Paul Kagame on behalf of my family since he heard me and resolved my problem as a parent.I will be living in harmony with those who were settled on the land,” he said.
Ntaganda Jean Damascene who spoke on behalf of former squatter families that received land certificates commended leaders for having understood their problem and the family of Ngirira Mathieu for having agreed to share the land.
“We now have no disputes amongst us. We thank the family of Ngirira Mathieu represented by Hategekimana Michel for having offered 20 hectares to us.We are now eligible to get bank loans considering the obtained land as guarantee,” he said.
The director general of RNRA, Dr. Emmanuel Nkurunziza commended the agreement and reminded them to make a good use of the land.
“Even though our country is small, we can make a good use of the small land for our progress. The land certificates you receive are a sign that the land belongs to you,” he said.
Dr Nkurunziza also commended Rubavu district administration over their cooperation in resolving land related conflicts among the populace.
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