MUHANGA- Residents in Munyinya village have decried the delays in compensation for their land and property which was evaluated in 2008.

About 130 residents are meant to be compensated by the Muhanga Investment Group after the area was designated for modern housing estates in Muhanga District.

Beneficiaries told The New Times that the delays have hampered their desire to move on and resettle in other places. They have asked that the whole process of calculating

compensations be revised since it is long overdue.

"These delays have impacted on our lives because we shall not afford to buy new pieces of land and property. The value has increased yet we are to be paid (based on) the same rates at which our land was evaluated two years ago” one resident lamented.

Some of the affected residents have gone ahead to put up low cost houses within the same designated area; others have moved in with relatives and friends waiting for the payments to mature.

Such low cost houses have been controversial, and the district has stood its ground on stopping such activities and demolishing them.

"We have nowhere to go and some of us have no choice but to seek shelter in nearby areas as we await of for payments. I dropped out of secondary school because my parents depend on that property which has not been paid off,” Paskazia Nyiramakuba said.

Residents also contest that such low cost houses have been built in the past.

"We constructed similar houses for the vulnerable through Umuganda efforts and nobody said that it was illegal. How come that we are being asked to move yet we have not even been paid off?” a resident questioned.

The vice-mayor for economic affairs, Francios Uhagaze acknowledged that some

residents are yet to be compensated.

"The money is being given in portions and there are some few that have already been paid off,” Uhagaze said.

"I believe that some of the complaints are being raised by other people, not those involved in the compensation process because we have been very clear on the process and everyone is contented.”

He also noted that the low cost houses cropping up in the area are illegal and those that do not have authorization will be demolished.

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