The special court on Land and other properties has handed over a788 ha property located in Rubirizi area, Mutimbuzi commune, in Bujumbura province to the government of Burundi. The population say the court has been unfair.
The 431 families say the special court has been unfair
Pascal Ngendakuriyo, President of the special court on land and other properties has said the plot of land that was formerly exploited by Ruzizi society belongs to the government. “After the National Commission on Land and other properties-CNTB has conducted several inquiries, it concluded that the whole plot of land of 788 ha belongs to the government of Burundi. Both Ruzizi society and 431 families from Mutimbuzi commune lost the case,” he says adding that whoever feels the court has taken an unfair decision can still appeal against the ruling.
Mr. Ngendakuriyo calls on Ruzizi society and other families who claim they own farms and have some activities they were carrying out in this plot of land to relocate within three months.
Mariam Ndayisenga, a 35 year-old woman from the 431 families says she does not understand how the special court can say that the whole plot of land belongs to the government.
“It’s we who lodged a complaint against Ruzizi society in CNTB in 2007. We are just claiming our 318 ha robbed in 1972 when we fled the country. The government would take the remaining plot,” she said adding that they had won the case in 2009 but did not know how it all changed.
David Singirankabo, 61, says he was born in this property but fled in 1972. “When we returned, the place was already occupied by Ruzizi society and we have got no place to go to date”.
Déo guide Rurema, Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Livestock recognizes the work of CNTB on behalf of the government. “Some societies have taken the government’s properties and instead of doing development activities, they manipulate the population. This is a great work that CNTB has done”.
He says the government’s victory is the population’s triumph. “This plot of land will be used for the development of the population”.
Mr. Rurema invites those families to gather into small cooperatives so that the government can support their development activities. “A new commission will be set up soon to discuss with these families and see how they can work together”.
This land dispute began in 2007 when National Commission on Land and other properties-CNTB was established and opposed the 431 families from Mutimbuzi commune and a company called Ruzizi. The latter says it has been operating in Mutimbuzi commune since1930.
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