Rubavu District Advisory Council has set up a committee to investigate allegations of land grabbing by local leaders in the district. Sources say a number of local leaders, among them executive secretaries, district leaders and security officers, illegally allocated themselves huge tracts of land along the district’s small border commonly known as “petite barriere” in Rubavu District.
Rubavu District Advisory Council has set up a committee to investigate allegations of land grabbing by local leaders in the district.
Sources say a number of local leaders, among them executive secretaries, district leaders and security officers, illegally allocated themselves huge tracts of land along the district’s small border commonly known as "petite barriere” in Rubavu District.
This has left many residents in the district lacking enough plots to build houses or engage in farming activities as a result of expropriation of people from Rubavu Hill.
The decision to probe the land grabbing scandal was reached during an extraordinary district advisory council meeting two weeks ago.
Nelson Mbarushimana the council president, confirmed the reports.
"It is true that there is suspicion of land grabbing and we have instituted a committee to follow up this issue, but I can’t say much since its being done by the district leadership,” said Mbarushimana.
However, Rubavu residents question the neutrality of the committee which is monitored by the district yet the district leadership is accused of complicity in the scandal.
Residents who the The New Times talked to were bewildered by the land grabbing saga.
"That place has been unoccupied for many years and there are many landless people in the district who deserve it. If the leaders acquired the land free of charge, then it is a crime,” insisted Alphonse Ngarambe.