People evicted from area where presidential palace is being constructed still claim compensation

Following the destruction of 23 houses which were built in the 40 ha of the site of the presidential palace under construction in Gasenyi I of Mutimbuzi commune in Bujumbura northern province, evicted families have staged a sit-in, this 29 August, in front of the Ministry of Environment, water and Land Planning.

People evicted from the area where the new presidential palace is being constructed have staged a sit-in in front of the Environment Ministry

“We would like to remind the Ministry about our case”, says Jean Paul Nsabiyumva, one of the representatives of the evicted families before adding that they haven’t received any answer to their claims so far.

On 11 April, a bulldozer destroyed 23 houses. The measure to evict those families was executed by Bujumbura province officials accompanied by an army of police officers. The provincial governor, Nadine Gacuti said the administration had previously held consultations with the concerned persons before the demolition arguing that it is a project of common interest.

One month later, some families returned and erected huts near the new presidential palace under construction. “We have nowhere to go. The host families are no longer able to shelter us”, says a mother of three children. She says she doesn’t know if her children will be able to go to school. “We have no permanent address and it will be impossible for them to attend the desired schools”, she says.

The evicted families urge the government to compensate them before the start of the rainy season. “We fear for the forthcoming rainy season. Different illnesses may affect us as well”, she says.

Omer Niyonkuru, spokesperson for the Ministry of Environment, Water and Urban Territory says the ministry is aware of their case and adds that they must wait for its response.

On 14 March, the Minister of Environment, Urban and Land Planning announced that all infrastructures and crops within a 40-hectare area of the new Burundi President office under construction must be destroyed. This measure also applies to owners of parcels within a 160-hectare area who must stop their construction activities.