The National Commission for Lands and other Properties (CNTB) handed over yesterday a plot of 3 ha located in Kajaga district of Mutimbuzi Commune in Bujumbura province, to the descendants of Gahinga Issa represented by Bambarukontari Alexis.
The 3 ha-plot which CNTB handed over to the descendants of Gahinga Issa
This parcel has been exploited by Evariste Ndizeye since 1991. The latter describes CNTB judgment as partial claiming that this parcel belongs to him. He states that he bought that plot from 21 people in 1991. “I bought many small parcels from 21 people as I wanted to have a large plot,” says Ndizeye.
He indicates that he has won the lawsuit in various courts of Bujumbura.”Ntahangwa High Court and the Court of Appeal of Bujumbura City verdicts were favorable to me because the so-called Gahinga descendants presented fraudulent documents certifying that the parcel belonged to them,” says Ndayizeye. For Mr Bambarukontari, Representative of Gahinga descendants, Ndizeye began exploiting their plot when they fled to Congo following the 1991 crisis.
“Our grandfather had a title deed as well as other documents confirming that the parcel belonged to him as he bought it in 1960,” says Bambarukontari adding that they have lodged a complaint to CNTB which is in charge of settling land-related disputes following the crises that occurred in Burundi.
“We never lodged a complaint to the courts in Bujumbura City even though our plot was located in Bujumbura Province. We were surprised to be summoned to appear before Ntahangwa court,” Bambarukontari says.
Dieudonnée Mbonimpa, spokesman for CNTB affirms that this plot belonged to the family of Gahinga. “CNTB made this decision after receiving a complaint stating that Gahinga Issa’s property was stolen from him,” he says adding that CNTB conducted its own investigations which later on showed that the accusations by Gahinga family were founded.
For Mbonimpa, Article 5 of the National Commission for Lands and other Properties-CNTB stipulates that the commission has the power to independently settle land disputes in order to restore the rights of the victims of the crises. “The lawsuits in relation to land disputes caused by crises that occurred in Burundi must be handled by CNTB,” says CNTB spokesperson.
He calls on Ndayizeye to file a suit to the Special Court in charge of settling land and other property-related disputes caused by various crises that took place in the country.
He said CNTB plans to enforce about 500 judgments already rendered in all provinces of the country within 3 months.
IWACU Open Data
