RISD trains local leaders on solving land disputes

Over 86 local leaders from two cells in Gatsata sector in Gasabo district have concluded a 3-day workshop that was organized by Rwanda Initiative for Sustainable Development (RISD). The workshop is aimed at training the local leaders on solving their community’s land disputes that crop up among the residents. The workshop covered the mechanisms of solving the issues. “The training was meant to make residents solve issues of land wrangles that arise among them. And this reduces the number of cases of land disputes,” Annie Kairaba, of RISD said in an interview with the journalists during the opening of the workshop on Thursday. “The training helps the local leaders, especially when solving issues to do with land disputes among the residents in a fair way,” Kairaba added. The workshop also centred on briefing the leaders on the land policy so as to make informed contribution to land policy development and expropriation laws. Kairaba said that according to a survey carried out by RISD, most of the land disputes centred on inheritance, adding that ever since the RISD programme started, there has been a decrease in land disputes in areas where RISD has trained local leaders. She added that the vision of RISD is a country where all citizens are in charge of their own destinies. RISD aims to promote, advocate and foster social and economic transformation in Rwanda by Rwandans themselves, and to work towards poverty eradication through a participatory sustainable approach. RISD works in partnership with Ministry of Natural Resources. Ends