Residents living around Nduba landfill in Gasabo District have decried delays in compensation for their properties to be able to relocate and avoid health risks caused by contamination from waste which also contaminates soil and water sources.
Both solid and liquid waste including toilet waste is dumped in Nduba landfill.
To prevent related health risks, the residents say their properties were valued in 2021 with a pledge to be expropriated in the same year but it is yet to be done.
In October, 2023, the Chamber of Deputies’ Standing Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Environment recommended the urgent relocation by the end of 2023 considering worsening contamination.
The city of Kigali had proposed to expropriate 40 families by December, 2023 and another 40 families by April 2024.
The May deadline was not met.
ALSO READ: Residents around Nduba landfill seek Rwf2bn to urgently relocate
Speaking to The New Times, Nduba residents expressed frustration over what they describe as "empty promises" from authorities.
They said the long wait for compensation has left them unable to improve their homes or invest in their land.
"We have been raising this issue for a long time, but the officials keep citing budget constraints,” said Jean Paul Ntakirutimana, one of the affected residents.
"We can&039;t build, and can't even plant crops that take long to harvest because we always expect to move any time. When you live in a place where you’re told you’ll be moved soon, you can’t plan for the future.
We can’t start any long-term projects. This has led to mental stress. Living near waste storage pits makes things worse, especially during the rainy season when the stench becomes unbearable,” he said.
Justin Nyirinkwaya, another resident, shared similar concerns.
"My property was also valued for compensation, but we haven’t gotten it yet and our houses are deteriorating. We can’t renovate them because we expect to move. We’ve gone to the City of Kigali office multiple times, but all we get are false promises.”
He emphasised the urgency of the situation, especially since the rainy season started.
"Our houses are old, and they could collapse during heavy rains. Yet, we can’t rebuild because we’re constantly waiting to be relocated.”
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Jean Bosco Twiringiyimana, another resident awaiting compensation, revealed that eight representatives for the affected households, on September 3, met with city officials to get updates.
"There are about 80 households still waiting for compensation, out of 100 households whose properties were valued. Very few people have been relocated. The process is slow.”
These households are seeking over Rwf2 billion as compensation to urgently relocate.
They said they met officials including the Director of Administration and Finance (DAF) of City of Kigali, who assured them that compensation would come between October and December.
"They told us the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN) is aware of our situation, but after so many broken promises, it's hard to believe,” Twiringiyimana.
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Compensation expected within four months
Jimmy Gasore, Minister of Infrastructure, in an interview on September 11, said that as they plan to expand the landfill, they will also compensate all households affected.
"We plan to commence the expansion activities within the next four months. Residents living in close proximity to the landfill, who are most impacted by the waste, will be compensated," he stated.
He assured that the process will adhere to the expropriation law, especially regarding property valuation and compensation.
"In addition to compensation, job opportunities will be created as we hire workers to support the landfill expansion,” he added.
Gasore expressed gratitude to the residents for their patience, assuring them that long-term solutions are underway.
These measures, he said, aim to prevent contaminated water from the landfill from mixing with usable water in the valleys, and to relocate the most affected families.
The government is planning to set up a modern waste management facility in Nduba Sector, Gasabo District, Kigali, at a tune of €67 million (approx. Rwf93 billion) in an effort to address health hazards occasioned by poor techniques used in refuse handling at the current landfill in the area.