The National Commission for Lands and other Properties (CNTB) has handed over a three-ha-property located in Kinyinya III, Rukaramu zone of Mutimbuzi Commune in Bujumbura province, to the descendants of Gahinga Issa represented by Bambarukontari Alexis this May 28, 2018. Samuel Nduwingoma, former owner, was absent.
The three-ha-property located in Kinyinya III handed to Issa Gahinga descendants
Dieudonné Mbonimpa, Spokesman for CNTB says the commission has realized that his plot belongs to the family of Gahinga after listening to both parties. “CNTB made this decision after receiving a complaint stating that Gahinga Issa’s property was stolen from him. The commission went through all the documents and listened to both parties,” he says.
Mr Mbonimpa says CNTB has also conducted its own investigations which later on revealed that the accusations by Gahinga family were founded while Nduwingoma’s evidence was not.
He says Article 5 of the National Commission for Lands and other Properties-CNTB stipulates that the commission has the power to independently settle land disputes in order to restore the rights of the victims of the crises. “The lawsuits in relation to land disputes caused by crises that occurred in Burundi must be handled by CNTB,” he says.
The spokesman for CNTB says Nduwingoma has the right to make an appeal to the latter.
Jean Nzomararumwe, one of the grand children of Issa Gahinga, says his family is satisfied with the decision. “It really hurts to see your property being exploited by someone else who doesn’t have access to it”.
He says the property was bought by his grandfather in 1960 and they lost it in 1991 when they fled to Congo following the crisis.
This parcel that has been exploited by Nduwingoma Samuel since 1991 was handed over to the descendants of Issa Gahinga without the presence of Nduwingoma’s family. The latter could not attend the ceremony due to the loss of a member of the family as said by CNTB commissioner. Iwacu tried to contact Nduwingoma in vain.
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