Residents of Jabana and Nduba sectors, who live around Nyacyonga marshland in Gasabo District, have complained failure to secure the right to exploit the marshaland which they say has been lying idle for long.

The farmers claim they are being forced to till upland with low levels of productivity yet the 30-acre marshland, which they want to use for rice growing, has remained idle for many years.

The same issue was brought to the attention of President Paul Kagame in November, last year, when he visited Jabana Sector, during which he directed that the marshland be put to good use.

"When the President visited last year, we requested him to give us this area so that we can exploit it for agricultural purposes. But since then, two seasons have gone by without any feedback from our leaders in the district,” said Evariste Munyemana, a resident of Gatunga cell in Nduba.

Stephen Rwamurangwa, the Mayor of Gasabo, said they are still waiting for guidance from the Ministry of Natural Resources (MINIRENA).

"Normally when there is a marshland that is not optimally used, the sector officials compile report and send it to the district specifying the land in question. The district forwards the report to MINIRENA which would authorise change in activities on the land,” said Rwamurangwa.

He said that the report was made and sent to the ministry, and they are still waiting for feedback.

However, Emmanuel Uwizeye, the Director of Land, Environment, Water and Forest Management at MINIRENA, told The New Times that the marshland should have been given to the people for exploitation but there were weaknesses on two sides; one on the side of the district and another on the Ministry of Agriculture.

He said the problem mainly hinged on the fact that the investor who had leased the land failed to service a loan and the property was subsequently attached by the bank.

‘‘The district can make an elaborate report showing that there is unexploited land and forwards it to MINIRENA for appropriate action.’’

Three consecutive reports in three years are enough for MINIRENA to cancel the contract rights of the current owner, he said.

‘‘The other alternative is for the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) which controls all agricultural marshlands, to simply write to MINIRENA showing that the current land owner is not using the land according to agreed-upon terms and then recommend that the contract be revoked,” Uwizeye said.

The marshland is currently owned by Rwanda Flora, a local company that was dealing in floriculture.

Rwanda Flora, which had a 49-year lease on the marshland, ceded the area to the former Bank of Commerce Development and Industry (BCDI), now Ecobank, after failing to pay a loan facility.

"Officials at MINAGRI said they are handling the matter. We are now in negotiations with ECOBANK; we are asking them to cede the marshland to other investors as soon as possible. In case of further delays, we will repossess and give it to local farmers who are willing to use it productively,” said Tony Nsanganira, the State Minister for Agriculture.

However, cooperatives with good horticultural projects will be prioritised if this option comes up, said Nsanganira.When contacted, an official from ECOBANK legal office said that Rwanda Flora was in a state of insolvency and had been put up for liquidation.

According to Geoffrey Mwine, a lawyer who has been named as the insolvency administrator for Rwanda Flora, said they are in the process of auctioning all property of the company to pay off the creditors, and the property include the lease on the marshland.

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