Family of twelve evicted

A family of twelve in Kamutwa cell, Urugero village in Kacyiru sector was last week thrown out of their residence by the local administration. The house has been occupied by the family of Kalisa Mustapha since 1996. According to a letter addressed to Kalisa by Kacyiru Sector authorities, seen by The New Times, he was instructed to vacate the house in question within 15 days from the time of notification. The letter states that the house is the property of a lady by the names of Sarafina Mukamugema following her provision of the papers allowing her to inherit the property which belonged to her brother in law. “They made my wife sign the document but in reality, I had nowhere to turn to with such a big family on such short notice,” laments Kalisa. “When I came to this place in 1996, I found a structure in place. Since everyone was settling wherever they found space after the war, I decided to renovate the structure and settle there,” he narrates. “However, I was later dismayed by the fact that after six good years, my neighbour, Sarafina Mukamujyema, came claiming ties to the property which she had not done so all this time!” Kalisa explains that the troubles between the once close families started in 2001. According to him, Sarafina Mukamugema went to the authorities in 2001 claiming that the property belonged to her brother-in-law, Ntwaye Nikodemu, who died in 1994. The authorities told her to bring evidence of the ownership of the property and the right to inherit the brother-in-law’s property. “She went and kept quiet only to resurface again with the complaint in June 2008,” he said. When this reporter asked him what might have led her to resurface with her claims, Kalisa said that it was because she had learnt that the local leadership had changed “so she resumed her claims. When The New Times sought the Executive Secretary of Kacyiru Sector, Scovia Ingabire, about this matter, she said that they, as the authorities, had done what they thought was right because the claimant had a notified letter which gave her authority to inherit the property and that if he (Kalisa) is not satisfied by the decision, he should go to higher authorities and appeal. Efforts to talk to Sarafina Mukamujyema were fruitless as she did not pick her phone. However, Jean Claude Musengimana, a young man The New Times found at the house in question who claims to be a young brother of the deceased, said that they had come to reclaim what belonged to them and nothing else. “All I need is justice to prevail in this matter. They should let me back into the house and give me time to prepare myself and also compensate me for all I have used while renovating this house” Kalisa protested. He also added that he had started to receive death threats from Sarafina’s family members. By press time, Kalisa’s family was being sheltered by a neighbour and he claimed that some of its property had been lost in the eviction process. Ends

National

Family of twelve evicted