The opening ceremony took place at the Soong Ching Ling Youth Science and Culture Centre. Notable attendees included 32 African envoys accredited to China, Chinese Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Chen Xiaodong, and Vice-Chairwoman of the 13th Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and President of the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation, Ms. Li Bin.
In his speech, Chen Xiaodong praised the success of previous editions of the festival under the framework of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum (FOCAC). He emphasized that the festival provides a platform for Chinese and African youth to forge friendships and discuss the future, playing a key role in promoting cultural exchanges and people-to-people friendships.
This year’s theme, “Gathering Youth Power, Building Modern Sino-Africa Together,” aims to inspire and encourage young people from both Africa and China to collaborate in their modernization efforts. “We look forward to fostering friendships, enhancing unity, and contributing to a bright future for our relations,” said Xiaodong.
Xiaodong also echoed President Xi Jinping’s vision of building a community with a shared future between China and Africa. He also highlighted the historical cooperation between China and Africa, extolling the youth’s contributions to significant projects like the Nairobi-Mombasa railway and the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Senegal’s Ambassador to China and Co-Chairman of FOCAC, Ibrahima Sorry Sylla, emphasized the festival’s importance in fostering sincere friendship and pragmatic cooperation between China and Africa. He recalled the Dakar Action Plan 2021, where Chinese and African leaders prioritized youth as a key driver of the Sino-African partnership. The plan encourages exchanges and cooperation in youth-related fields.
Amb. Ibrahima also highlighted Africa’s challenges regarding training, youth employability, and socio-economic integration.
With Africa having the world’s youngest population, over 400 million young people are aged between 15 and 35.
“Such a young population necessitates increased investments in economic and social development factors to improve the development index of African countries,” the envoy noted.
Amb. Ibrahima appealed to universities, schools, training institutes, think tanks, businesses, and all stakeholders to join efforts in tackling these challenges for a stronger Sino-African partnership.
Among others; Ms. Li Bin expressed hope that this year’s event would inject new and powerful youthful energy into enhancing mutual understanding, promoting China-Africa friendship, and jointly building modern Sino-Africa relations.
Dany Vassyli Mugisha, a Rwandan participant in his final year at Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture (RICA), expressed his delight in representing Rwandan youth at the festival. He believes the event is an excellent opportunity to strengthen China-Africa relations, network with peers from China and other African countries, and showcase Rwanda’s beauty.
“I hope to learn from the conferences and visits and share this knowledge with my peers back home. This platform allows me to raise Rwanda’s flag high, showcase our rich culture, and invite my fellow delegates to visit Rwanda,” he noted.
The festival is organized by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Zhejiang provincial government.
Speaking on Sanny Ntayombya’s podcast, Long Form, Wilkens disclosed that he learned of a plot to have him killed from a leader of the Interahamwe killer squad he met at 1930 Prison.
According to Wilkens, the convict intimated that the Interahamwe killers had resolved to kill him for witnessing their crimes. However, they were stopped by Tharcisse Renzaho, the then-Governor of Kigali-Ville prefecture, who is now serving a life sentence for his role in the killing of more than one million people during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Wilkens alleges that Renzaho opposed his killing, fearing repercussions from the American government.
“This guy, when I talked to him last July, did say we planned to kill you. We told Renzaho our plans. We told him where and when we were going to do it. And Renzaho said no, don’t kill him. If you kill him, the Americans will be all over us,” Wilkens said, adding, “I don’t think the American government could have lifted a finger, but perception is so powerful.”
Talking about the trauma and his battle with anger in the aftermath of the 1994 atrocities, Wilkens said he felt like vomiting when he first met the leader of the killer squad at 1930 Prison in 2015.
“I stumbled on the leader of the killer squad at 1930 Prison in 2015. It was a horrible experience. I felt like vomiting, to be honest,” he said.
The 66-year-old noted that he had resolved to embrace forgiveness to free himself from anger and bitterness about what he witnessed in Rwanda 30 years ago.
“I worked for years to try to reframe that man and to see him as more than a mass murderer—not because he deserved it, but because I deserve to be free from anger and bitterness,” he added.
{{Saved over 400 people}}
Wilkens was the only American left in the country during the Genocide against the Tutsi in 1994.
At the time of the Genocide against the Tutsi, Wilkens was the Head of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency International in Rwanda. He was living in the country with his wife and three children when President Juvénal Habyarimana’s plane was shot down.
Wilkens chose to remain behind with two domestic Tutsi workers after the American Embassy made it clear to them not to bring any Rwandans with them. He sent his wife and children with an American convoy to Burundi and stayed at his home in Kigali with the two workers for about three weeks over fears that they would be harmed.
“The American embassy was ordering us all out but they were also ordering us not to bring any Rwandans. So it’s like they were ordering to leave a part of our family behind,” he recounted.
Over the next 100 horrific days of the genocide, Wilkens managed to save the lives of 400 Tutsis, including orphans from Gisimba Orphanage, whom he moved to safety through deadly roadblocks, thanks to his influence and networks.
He recounted that on the day he rescued the orphans, more than 50 killers had surrounded the orphanage, waiting to kill everyone. But the children’s lives were spared after he reached out to Renzaho and Prime Minister Jean Kambanda.
Officials and state media said the charred wreckage of the helicopter carrying Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian was found early on Monday after an overnight search.
“President Raisi, the foreign minister and all the passengers in the helicopter were killed in the crash,” a senior Iranian official was quoted by Reuters moments before Vice President Mohsen Mansouri confirmed the president’s death on state television and social media.
The Bell 212 helicopter carrying the president is said to have slammed into a mountain peak, although an official statement on the cause of the crash is yet to be released.
The 63-year-old was elected president in 2021. He was seen as a potential successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Touted as a hardliner, he has in recent years tightened morality laws, crackdown on anti-government protests and pushed hard in nuclear talks with world powers.
He made the declaration recently at an event organized by Ashesi University in collaboration with the High Commission of Rwanda in Ghana for the 30th commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda in which more than a million people were killed in just 100 days.
Dr. Awuah noted that the monument to be established will also recognize the contribution of the Ghanaian contingent that constituted the United Nations Assistance Mission in Rwanda (UNAMIR) under the leadership of Retired Major General Henry Kwami Anyidoho, who despite the order to evacuate convinced the Ghanaian government and stayed, saving thousands of lives.
The commemoration at Ashesi University is a unique event where the senior-most leadership of an academic institution of Ashesi’s stature has set time aside to remember the Genocide against the Tutsi and provide an opportunity for Africa’s youth to learn more about what happened to be real agents of prevention.
Referencing Rwanda’s remarkable transformation after the Genocide against the Tutsi, Dr. Awuah said that the country is now represents Africa’s hope that when people put their minds onto something and are committed to do it, nothing cannot be achieved.
High Commissioner of Rwanda to Ghana Mrs. Rosemary Mbabazi told the over 300 gathered at the ceremony that what Ashesi had done was a reminder that remembering the victims of the 1994 Genocide was not just Rwanda’s responsibility but “it concerns all of us in Africa and the whole world.”
Explaining why we remember, she among others noted that “By remembering, we restore dignity to those who were brutally massacred as though they were not humans and stand in solidarity with survivors, who were left with immense physical and psychological scars.”
High Commissioner Mbabazi emphasized that all people, especially the youth, ought to endeavor to understand tragic histories such as that of the Genocide against the Tutsi if at all Africa and the world can ever prevent similar atrocities from happening again.
“In our present world, even here in Africa, we have groups who are still facing state-sanctioned discrimination which has all the indicators of genocidal targeting. We must all be agents in the fight against hate speech – which includes the denial of genocides such as the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi – and refusing to fall victim to the same.”
General Anyidoho, who was also at the event, made a presentation about his memory of the events that unfolded in Rwanda, punctuating the contrasting reality of today’s Rwanda from the country that the Rwandan Patriotic Front – RPF Inkotanyi inherited in 1994.
He challenged the audience dominated by the young Ashesi students to be determined and defy the status quo to make Africa great. “If you do not it, do not expect that anyone else will ever do it for you,” he said.
Founded in 2002, Ashesi University currently has 26 students pursuing mostly engineering and technology courses.
The commemoration ceremony was preceded by a “Walk to Remember” an initiative started by Rwandan youth to take a reflective walk to imagine the suffering endured by the victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi and fasten their resolve to build a better country.
Speaking during the reopening of the airline’s check-in office at Kigali city center, the CEO said the move is aimed at providing convenience for the airline’s customers.
“We are very proud that we can offer this very good service again, which is to check in the city in the morning and spend the day not worrying about your luggage, then go to the airport and ensure the luggage is there,” the CEO stated.
“To further enhance convenience, we’re increasing service to daily flights from Kigali starting in June,” Von Boxberg announced.
The airline currently operates five flights per week between Kigali and Brussels. The new plans include reopening the Nairobi route that the airline previously served from 2002 to 2015. This new route allows the airline to increase flight frequencies to Kigali and provide daily service.
“We are starting six flights per week on the Nairobi-Brussels route. Two of these flights will connect to Kigali,” Brussels Airlines Country Manager Audrey Natukunda explained.
The additional flights between Brussels and Kigali will be operated on Wednesdays and Sundays.
Commenting on the resumption of check-in service, Natukunda noted that the unique service offers passengers the convenience of dropping off their luggage at the airline’s offices located within Hôtel des Mille Collines before heading to board their flights at Kigali International Airport, situated on the outskirts of Kanombe, about 5 kilometers from the city center.
Natukunda explained that the check-in service was halted after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in line with the government measures introduced to curb the spread of the virus.
“We, as Brussels Airlines, care for our staff and passengers. We needed to be compliant with the regulations to keep the distance and stay healthy,” Natukunda explained.
The unique service offers passengers the convenience of dropping off their luggage at the airline’s offices located at Hôtel des Mille Collines before heading to board their flights at Kigali International Airport, situated on the outskirts of Kanombe, about 5 kilometers from the city center.
Brussels Airlines Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dorothea Von Boxberg attended the reopening of the city check-in section.
“We are very proud that we can offer this very good service again, which is to drop off luggage and check-in at the city office in the morning and spend the day not worrying about your luggage, then go to the airport and ensure the luggage is there,” the CEO stated.
To fulfill the airline’s commitment to offering convenience to its customers Ms.Von, Boxberg also announced that the airline would begin daily flights from Kigali starting in June.
“To further enhance convenience, we’re increasing service to daily flights from Kigali starting in June,” Von Boxberg announced.
Brussels Airlines Country Manager Audrey Natukunda explained that the check-in service was halted after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in line with the government measures introduced to curb the spread of the virus.
“We, as Brussels Airlines, care for our staff and passengers. We needed to comply with the regulations to keep the distance and stay healthy,” Natukunda explained.
Following the reopening of the service, passengers will receive an email inviting them to check in luggage at Hôtel des Mille Collines before their flight.
Charles Habonimana, the Managing Director of Rwanda Airports Company (RAC), lauded the service, saying it is particularly convenient for passengers who use motorbikes to beat traffic to the airport, as they do not need to struggle with their luggage. He encouraged other airlines to introduce similar services to increase customer satisfaction.
Versmessen Bert, the Ambassador of Belgium to Rwanda, welcomed the resumption of the check-in service at the city center, terming it timely as the tourism sector continues to experience remarkable growth since the pandemic.
A report released by the Rwanda Development Board last month shows that the tourism sector recorded $650 million (RWF 832 billion) in revenues last year, representing a 35 percent growth in revenue compared to 2022. The tourism sector is projected to fully recover from the adverse effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, having made a significant rebound in 2023.
According to a survey by the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, the tourism sector achieved 88 percent of pre-pandemic levels last year. Total export revenues from tourism, encompassing passenger transport, reached approximately $1.6 trillion in 2023, nearly 95 per cent of the $1.7 trillion recorded in 2019.
Projections suggest a continuation of this positive trend, with estimates indicating a 2 per cent growth in international tourist arrivals above 2019 levels.
Rwandan forces are helping Mozambique’s army fight militants who launched an armed uprising in 2017. The insurgency began with the group expressing discontent over the lack of economic benefits from natural gas in the region, allegations of government corruption and marginalization of local communities.
Speaking during a presidential panel comprising Presidents Paul Kagame and William Ruto of Kenya at the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali on Friday, Nyusi affirmed that Rwanda’s solidarity had helped Mozambique neutralise terror threats in the country.
“There have been quite a number of efforts, together with my brother, His Excellency Paul Kagame. We discussed issues related to security. We have put so many aspects in the northern part of the country where we are looking at exploring mineral resources such as hydrocarbons. It’s true we have gone through terrorism occurrences in 2021. We encountered so many challenges, and we put in place micro-projects in those areas which were supposed to start.
“In terms of national security, thanks to the support of my brother from Rwanda we have been able to contain the threat situation. I thank the people of Rwanda for showing solidarity,” President Nyusi stated.
Terming the current situation as stable, the President dismissed claims that the terror threats pose risk to private sector investments in the country.
“The current situation is stable. It’s just a minor part of the North which is under threat. But investments have never been stopped. It means that the level of risk in Mozambique is nonexistent,” he explained.
“In terms of investments in Mozambique in sectors such as power, infrastructure, energy, we are building ports. We have three ports so far that can have major shipping lines to do the work. There are so many people who have visited Mozambique they can witness.”
President Nyusi also noted that dialogue with the ‘enemies’ had helped de-escalate the security situation in Mozambique.
“Thanks to dialogue, I personally had the opportunity to go to the forest to dialogue with the enemies because I knew what was happening and what they wanted. So we were able to discuss and agree on some points. So the situation is quite better now,” he added.
Rwanda deployed its security forces to Mozambique in 2021 after the insurgency escalated with the militia employing violent tactics, including attacks on civilians and security forces and destruction of property. Mozambique has also received military support from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in 2021. However, SADC forces started withdrawing last month as its mandate ends in July.
Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) announced this week that new troops of the are preparing to deploy to Cabo Delgado in the gas-rich Northern Province.
The soldiers on Tuesday received a briefing on the new mission during a meeting with senior officials, including the Rwanda Defence Forces Army Chief of Staff, Maj Gen Vincent Nyakarundi and Commissioner Vincent B. Sano, the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Operations.
The RDF Army Chief of Staff conveyed a message from President Paul Kagame, who also doubles up as the Commander-in-Chief of RDF, reminding the troops to maintain discipline and commitment to the crucial mission.
Nyakarundi emphasized that the forces currently deployed in the region were performing admirably and urged the troops to uphold the standards.
“This deployment underscores the strong bilateral relations between the Republic of Rwanda and Mozambique,” RDF said in a statement.
Early this month, RDF announced that joint Rwanda and Mozambique forces had made gains in neutralizing the militia insurgency in the country.
RDF revealed on May 5, 2024, that the joint security team had managed to smoke out and kill a majority of the Al-Shabaab terrorists hiding in Odinepa, Nasua, Mitaka, and Manika forests during a one-week operation that started on April 26.
Only a few insurgents are reported to have escaped the military onslaught during the one-week operation.
MP Donatille Mukabalisa expresses that during her tenure, both as a speaker and parliamentarian, she takes pride in the achievements of the Rwandan Government, which have been accomplished with contributions from everyone.
In an interview with IGIHE recently, she discussed various topics, including her views on the Parliament’s responsibilities in representing the citizens, the preparations for elections within the Liberal Party (PL), which she leads, and other diverse subjects.
{{IGIHE: How are the preparations for the elections within PL going?}}
{{Donatille Mukabalisa:}} As you know, in July 2024, there will be Presidential and Parliamentary elections, and we in the Liberal Party (PL) are well prepared. Whenever there are elections, the first thing a political party thinks about is how to present its agenda to Rwandans to gain their votes.
The key preparation involves creating a political agenda that outlines what we intend to deliver.
We have carefully prepared our agenda, the Liberal Party’s (PL) principles, and our plans for Rwandans from 2024 to 2029 during this five-year term. This is based on the pillars of the economy, social welfare, and good governance.
Every political party has the responsibility to lead Rwandans toward sustainable development, ensuring their welfare, safety, and a country that experiences rapid and lasting progress.
All of this is grounded in the vision we have collectively set as Rwandans, whether you belong to a political party or not.
We have all contributed to the Vision 2050, and there are other sustainable development goals we must achieve as a country and globally, such as Vision 2063. These foundations are what we will present to Rwandans to secure their votes, enabling us to contribute to the goals we have set as a nation.
{{We have seen that you have chosen to support Paul Kagame. As a significant party in Rwanda, don’t you think you should present your own candidate instead of supporting another party’s candidate?}}
It is not only in Rwanda that a political party supports a candidate from another party.
The Liberal Party granted its members the freedom to choose. We asked them if they saw fit to present a candidate, and if so, who within the party would be suitable? They chose to support the candidate presented by the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) Inkotanyi, Paul Kagame.
During the deliberations, each speaker highlighted the reasons why they felt we should support the RPF Inkotanyi candidate, emphasizing the achievements and positive direction he has brought to the country.
When considering a Head of State, you ask what Rwandans need. But you must also conduct a broader analysis, asking what Rwanda as a country needs and who has the capability to meet those needs.
Given the critical challenges we faced after President Paul Kagame stopped the Genocide against the Tutsi and liberated our country from all possible evils, looking at our progress and vision, it is clear that there is no reason to change a winning team.
From the worst possible state, we have reached a place where even the world marvels at our progress. What seemed like a dead country has resurrected, with people rebuilding and showing great resilience, all thanks to good leadership.
We believe this good leadership should continue to guide us to reach and even surpass our goals, establishing a strong foundation and pillars while collaborating with him in all aspects.
{{In 2010, you had a candidate in the Presidential election. Did the unsatisfactory results lead you to support Paul Kagame this time?}}
You must consider the state of the country, the region, and the world at large because the world has become like a village. You must look at the interests of the country and Rwandans.
Considering all these factors, we concluded that the right candidate to support is Paul Kagame. However, this does not prevent us from preparing to present our own candidate in the future.
{{Do you think President Kagame’s successor could come from the Liberal Party?}}
We will assess that in due time, as it requires thorough preparation. When the time comes, you will know.
Before the Genocide against the Tutsi, the Liberal Party was very active, but now many people wonder what you do that would attract someone without a political affiliation to join the PL. What would you say to them?
The Liberal Party was founded on July 14, 1991. This July, we will be celebrating 33 years. It started during a very challenging and politically difficult time, with significant strength and noble goals.
The party fought for individual freedom, which was not available to Rwandans, for justice, and for development.
Living in a country that denies people their rights, where there is no justice, and where people cannot freely pursue activities that can lead to their development is unacceptable.
A country with severe exclusion and oppression of some Rwandans cannot progress if it is divided.
Fighting for these causes during such challenging times was not easy. We persisted, but Habyarimana’s regime saw the power of the Liberal Party and split it, creating a faction called PL Power based on ethnicity, while the rest of us continued with the original mission.
Understandably, many PL members were victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi, but those who survived drew strength from within to rebuild the party’s political foundation, focusing on unifying Rwandans, which had been shattered.
We had the framework and the place to work from, which enabled us to continue building our strength to collaborate with other Rwandans in rebuilding the country, advancing it, and fostering a sense of unity. We are proud of the role we played in achieving this progress.
{{You have led the parliament for 11 years; when you look back, which achievements do you appreciate that have changed the lives of the citizens?}}
When we talk about the Assembly, it’s not about an individual looking at themselves alone, speaking as a leader or viewing it as just the Parliament because it involves collaboration with colleagues.
The Parliament has different organs, including the General Assembly as the main body, the Chairpersons’ Council, and various committee works where we all work together.
Regarding its responsibilities of enacting laws and overseeing government activities, we do all this collectively.
We are proud of all we have achieved as a country because we have fulfilled our duties as the Parliament while working with other institutions.
When we talk about enacting laws, they are established to ensure that the policies that have been set can be implemented, and laws are made to address specific issues.
When we oversee the government’s activities, we are looking at things like the past seven-year program, the 2050 vision, and ensuring that the goals Rwandans need to achieve are met appropriately, bringing visible changes in the lives of Rwandans.
I can say that we are proud of what we have achieved because we played our part in our duties as the Parliament across all levels. We cannot claim it was just us alone; we all worked together.
{{We sometimes see laws being enacted and then amended shortly after; how does this happen, and why aren’t enduring laws passed from the beginning?}}
We are a developing country; when laws are enacted, we do not stop there. After some time, we go back and review our oversight duty to monitor the implementation of those laws to see if they are solving the issues they were created to address.
We review how they are being implemented, often after about three years. When we review their implementation, we sometimes find that they are not being implemented correctly or are not solving the issues they were created to address, making it necessary to amend them.
We are a country that wants to progress quickly, and like when you build a house, there comes a point where you notice things that need to be improved even though the plan was initially well-drawn. You may need to make adjustments to make it better.
When building a country, you reach a point where you review and ask if what you are doing is solving the problems that led to the laws being enacted. That is where amendments come in.
There is nothing wrong with amending; the problem would be to leave something that is not working well unaddressed because you are not amending it.
The event featured distinguished guests, including Attorney General Damien Vandermeersch, lawyer Michèle Hirsch, journalist Colette Braeckman, and Brigitte Safari, a survivor of the Genocide against the Tutsi who shared her testimony.
During her presentation, journalist Colette Braeckman reflected on Belgium’s failure in Rwanda, stating, “We, the journalists who were in Rwanda before the Genocide, reported that Tutsis were being threatened with death, inciting hatred against them.”
She added, “When I arrived in Belgium from Kigali, I was invited to a meeting organized by Catholic church followers. Arriving there, one person wrote on the blackboard that the RPF should stop the war so we can stop killing. I thought I was dreaming, wondering if I was really in Belgium. This showed me that some in Belgium had an extermination plan shared with those in Rwanda at that time, shortly before the Genocide against the Tutsi.”
Braeckman also recounted her eyewitness account of French soldiers aiding the Interahamwe militias and the former Rwandan government forces (Ex-FAR) in committing atrocities, including massacres, with the support of French authorities, even transporting them to Zaire.
She said, “The French soldiers would pose for photos with some of the civilian refugees to show that they were helping people in difficulties. The saddest thing is that as journalists, our job is to report news, but there are others who have other plans, and you find that decisions have been made. You speak up, but no one listens. However, we have to write to preserve history.”
Another revelation from Braeckman was the pressure on journalists to falsely accuse the RPF of shooting down former President Habyarimana’s plane.
Attorney General Damien Vandermeersch emphasized the professional responsibility to hear from both sides and search for the truth of the crimes committed. He said, “I have met many accused of murder and participation in the Genocide against the Tutsi, and there are also those who should not have been accused, such as former ministers, university professors, religious leaders, and others.”
He continued, “This led us to hear many people say there was a massacre, a war, or a conflict with other names. No, there is no other name for the Genocide against the Tutsis because they hunted people based on their identity, found them in their hiding places, and killed them.”
Lawyer Michèle Hirsch, who has 29 years of experience defending the compensation of the survivors of the Genocide against the Tutsi, highlighted the serious violence women endured. She shared her personal history of the Genocide against the Jews, where family members were killed, and how her experience in Rwanda deeply affected her.
Hirsch noted that when she started her work, she found that survivors often spoke more about their families than themselves, reflecting the difficulty of confronting their trauma, though many are now beginning to share their personal stories with the justice system.
In an interview with IGIHE, Arnaud Hamann, the President of the “Conference du Jeune Barreau de Bruxelles,” stated that the event was organized to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
He said, “Considering the period after the history of the world war, this Genocide is the one in which a large number of people were killed in a short period of time and with great brutality. So we invited one of the survivors, Safari Brigitte, to share testimonies, Journalist Colette Braeckman who followed the history of Rwanda to share her experience, and lawyers including Attorney General Damien Vandermeersch and Lawyer Michèle Hirsch.”
Hamann emphasized the importance of keeping audio and video recordings of the discussions to ensure that the accounts are not just left on paper, providing tools for future legal professionals and judges.
A recent survey by Transparency International Rwanda (TI-Rwanda) found that only 34.5 per cent of respondents were aware of property expropriation rights, with just 1.4 per cent saying they were fully aware of their rights.
Additionally, 29.0 per cent said they were not sure, 29.1 per cent were unaware, and 0.8% said they were totally unaware of their rights in cases where the government claims privately owned property for the benefit of the public.
A total of 1,050 respondents participated in the survey conducted across the five provinces of Rwanda, where the government has claimed privately owned land for the construction of feeder roads, as well as education and health infrastructure projects. 52.90 per cent of the respondents were male while 47.10 were female.
TI-Rwanda conducted an assessment on the issues of expropriation targeting government programs with support from the German development agency Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).
At least two projects in each of the 15 districts across Western, Eastern, Southern, Northern and Kigali Provinces were selected among three key areas (feeder roads, health and education) for examination.
TI-Rwanda also examined the level of citizen’s participation in the selection of infrastructure projects and compliance with Law NO 32-2015 of 11-06-2015 relating to expropriation in the public interest. The law stipulates that any compensation must be made prior to the project implementation.
“Investors consulted me and assured me that they would not take my land that is why I was not on the list of people who were supposed to be compensated. Later, I was surprised to see their workers with machines destroying my compound and taking my land. They even called the engineer of Gasabo district saying that they will not compensate me because they said that I should claim before the starting of the project. I cannot say that we, citizens have the right on neither our property nor on the expropriation of our properties affected by infrastructure-related projects,” one of the respondents was quoted as saying.
On community awareness of selected infrastructure projects in their village, 39.4 per cent of the respondents said they were aware, 1.9 per cent said they were totally aware, and 18.2 per cent said they were not sure. Additionally, 30.5 per cent of respondents said they were unaware, 0.9 per cent said they were totally unaware, and 9.1 per cent said they didn’t know.
“We were not informed about this project, but we are thankful for benefiting medical services because it is our advantage to see that works related to the construction of Shagasha health centre were complete,” another resident was quoted as saying.
The survey also revealed that 80.7 per cent of the feeder roads were reported by the citizens to have negatively affected community properties during the implementation of projects in the districts selected for the study.
“Houses have been destroyed by the construction of the new roads, and some houses are hanging and may be destructed due to them being on steeped roads,” a respondent from Kamonyi lamented.
A section of residents of Nyabihu complained that their houses were damaged by landslides due to roads missing water drainage. The residents also decried lack of compensation for their damaged property.
The report recommends the adoption of improved notice procedures by authorities at the district level and increased transparency and accountability. It suggests provision of all relevant information to the citizens who will be directly affected and avoiding the implementation of projects without written prior agreement from the beneficiaries.
The report has also made several recommendations to Local Administrative Entities Development Agency (Loda), Ministry of Local Government (MINALOC) and Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN).
The recommendations include the authorities to enhance independence and activities of the Institute of Real Property Valuers in Rwanda (IRPV) and provide necessary support in setting and updating annual land prices; Improve feasibility studies on expropriation projects, including an assessment of socio-economic impacts on the affected population; Initiate a livelihood strategy for citizens whose properties are affected by the implementation of infrastructure projects; and Clarify and follow project timelines, improve, and streamline the payment procedures by allocating sufficient project budgets before the project starts.
