Nyarugenge residents query KCC’s valuation process

Residents of Nyarugenge District who are supposed to be relocated to pave way for for the implementation of the City’s 50-year master plan have complained that the valuation of their property is being done unfairly. The residents from the ten sectors of Nyarugenge district told the Mayor Nyarugenge, Origene Rutayisire, and the Vice Mayor of Kigali City Council Jeanne d’Arc Gakuba, that the valuation specialists are valuing property without the owners’ participation. “They came to my place looked at my land and told me it was worth Rfw150, 000, but later I noticed that they hadn’t considered the value of my cassava, banana plantations and other crops,” said Celestin Iberakurora a resident of Mageragere sector. Iberakurora said that later, he was told to quickly append his signature to a document that detailed how his property had been valued. “The Executive Secretary of the sector later called us to add our signatures to documents showing that we had agreed with the value attached to our property. He would tell us to quickly do it regardless of complaints,” he said. Iberakurora demanded that the valuation be redone.The valuation is taking place in the sectors of Muhima, Nyarugenge, Nyamirambo, Rwezamenyo, Nyakabanda, Kimisagara, Gitega, Mageragere, Kigali, and Kinyinya. Safari Alex, a businessman from Muhima said that his kiosk and its contents worth Rfw4 million was demolished and later undervalued. “After my business was demolished, I disagreed with the money that they were offering for my business. I refused payment.” The Mayor then asked sector leaders who were reported to have turned a deaf ear to complaints of residents to explain how the valuation process had been conducted and why they didn’t forward the complaints to the district level. Responding to the Mayor, Etienne Rukwa, a local leader of Mageragere said that they were still compiling the complaints. The Mayor then promised the dwellers that next week on Wednesday 5th, a meeting will be held closer to the dwellers’ premises to provide answers to their grievances. Cautioning area leaders, Rutayisire said that the residents were supposed to “get the exact value for their property.” Other complaints included land disputes that stemmed from disputes emanating from sharing land and asked Rutayisire ordered that they be solved before the valuation exercise continues. Nuwamahoro Valenie, revealed that she was a widow and mother of two children but was uncertain of her mother-in-law’s acceptance of being compensated the husband’s share. Gakuba said that, “No one will be compensated until the family misunderstandings on ownership of land are resolved.” The mayor said that after valuation they will be compensated and given three months to relocate. Ends

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Nyarugenge residents query KCC’s valuation process