Kamonyi residents urged on land registration

Land owners in Kamonyi District have been called on to register their land in part to prevent land related disputes. The call was made by Dr Vincent Biruta, the Minister for Natural Resources, on Wednesday, during an issuance of land titles exercise in Kamonyi. The event took place in Runda sector, where at least 250 land titles have been issued to land owners since Monday. Land titles issuance is an ongoing countrywide activity aimed at raising awareness on land registration and its proper use. Besides land titles issuance, officials from the Ministry of Natural Resources and land owners discussed effective management of land resources and titles’ digitisation system. Biruta said, ‘‘Land registration is an advanced way of resolving land disputes. “When you own any property there should be an official and legal evidence. The same applies to land.” He noted that most cases in court are related to land disputes as a result of traditional ways of transferring land. Parents used to give out land in form of inheritance to their children without any record about the transaction while others would sell their land and sign an agreement without third party witness. Such cases often resulted in conflicts in case of any misunderstanding between both parties (seller and buyer). “Today, we are sensitising people about the right way to conduct land transaction. We have done a lot in registering land, but the number of people that are asking for land titles shows that the journey is still long. Fortunately, services about land have been decentralised to the sector level,” the minister said. “There is a need for partnership with the Ministry of Local Government and the districts to harmonise land services. We also urge the public to understand the importance of documenting any land transaction.” Biruta said that today it is easier to access information about land through, using mobile phones or the internet, adding that the digitalisation provides information about land efficiently. Land owners speak An area resident, Landward Biziyaremye, said the written agreement between a land seller and buyer helps to minimise related conflicts. “Land registration eases the process of transferring land. I am confident to carry out any activity on my land because I have all rights to do so.” Biziyaremye said. Esperance Kamunazi, showing her land title, said the document will be useful even after she is dead. Jean De Dieu Nkurikiyinka echoed Kamunazi’s words, saying that no fraud can be done in the presence of land titles. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Kamonyi residents urged on land registration