Gasabo evictees decry delayed resettlement

Thirteen families evicted from Kacyiru Sector of Gasabo District are yet to be resettled even after legislators called for their urgent resettlement. Lawmakers last month directed the Ombudsman and local government authorities to ensure that the families that were affected by heavy rains in Kabatwa Cell in December 2013 are resettled. The matter first came up while members of the parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Security were reviewing a petition sent to Parliament by the affected residents. In the petition, the residents claimed that following the downpour that washed away their houses, they were compelled to leave their land without compensation yet some of their neighbours were allowed to renovate. The residents sought intervention of line institutions, including the Office of the Ombudsman. Some of the families attempted to renovate their houses but local authorities stopped them on the ground that they were living in a wetland. Parliament summoned Bernadette Kanzayire, the deputy Ombudsman in charge of preventing and fighting injustice, to explain the situation of the residents and plans to ensure their safety. Kanzayire admitted that there had not been much effort to provide a permanent solution to the issue. Affected residents speak out Speaking to Saturday Times, the residents said the MPs’ directive is yet to be effected and appealed to concerned authorities for urgent action. One of the residents, Marie Therese Kamagaju, insisted that although they were given alternative land for relocation they have no means to construct houses. “Local authorities could have left us to renovate our houses instead of relocating us yet we cannot manage to build for ourselves,” Kamagaju, who still stays in her damaged house in Kabatwa Cell, said. Therese Uwamaliya, 52, another resident, said they were given land in Nduba Cell and promised assistance in brick making but it has never come through. Epiphanie Hanamayumwe, another resident, appealed to authorities to give them building materials or compensation for their lost property. Philippe Habinshuti, the head of response and recovery unit at the Ministry of Disaster Preparedness and Refugee Affairs, said they have not received any request for support from the district for the affected Kacyiru residents. Delphine Nyirasafari, the Gasabo disaster management officer, said the district this financial year plans to construct houses for five of the affected families that are considered most vulnerable, while the rest will be given building materials and supported to construct houses through community work if they can’t build for themselves. “In case of those who were given land but are unable to construct houses we help build for them through community work (Umuganda) and provide building materials as well,” Nyirasafari said. She clarified that not everyone who was affected by disasters is entitled to a house, adding that for those who are capable of building, “only for land.” Officials say the process was delayed because of categorisation. There are people who were renting so these could not be compensated, and others who constructed their houses after the 2005 land law that prohibits people to construct in wetlands; who can’t be compensated either, according to officials. The list has since come down from 13 families to 10. Nyirasafari also said a total of 126 residents are set to be relocated from different high risk zones in Gasabo. At least 22 of them will be constructed for.

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Gasabo evictees decry delayed resettlement