EASTERN PROVINCE

In life every new idea looks crazy at first. These are the words of Abraham Maslow, but they are well known and understood to those living in Umutara, a place described as the Land of Milk, but more recently known for the three RDF generals and other top officials scrambling to understand appropriation of property and Earth.

The land in question is being scrutinized by a commission to establish what and how much everyone owns.

One livestock farmer says "ee yamagambo ya perezida abaye impamo” approximately meaning the ‘promise of president Kagame in Umutara has come to reality.’

While media often presents Rwanda in twists and turns of diplomatic expulsion (France) or Bismarkian foreign policy (clashes in the DRC) many are still believed by the speed and process of democratisation taking place in the country today.

And much of the success can be claimed by leadership.

Now Rwandans should exhibit trust for the current leadership in Rwanda since they have done many incredible sacrificial things.

We believe that no one will come either from France or the United States to solve these land inequality issues since the West deserted Rwanda during the 1994 Genocide.

It was Rwandans who stopped it and Rwandans who will fix the problems, such as land assessment in Eastern Province,that the country has today.

Again, the big challenge is that dozens of residents in Umutara region are desperately in need of land because almost all Rwandans living in the area are so attached to cattle.

Livestock farmers with inadequate land are closely following up on how it will end to see how the distribution process and identification of those who need land more than others.

The commission in charge of the process must stay awake because many people are flocking from different parts of the country and many are heard claiming to benefit from the land redistribution process.

Mayors of Umutara area and land task force should be ready to handle those who flock to the region after selling homes elsewhere, and masquerade as those in desperate need of help.

People are also the proposed 25 hectares is too much, since everyone wants a piece.

When asked how they can handle such issues, many said at least 10 hectares for every livestock farmer would enable enough to benefit from land redistribution.

Ends