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19/08/2013

Seraphine Habmimana

Over 2,000 families from Ririma Sector that are set to be evicted to pave way for the construction of an international airport in the area have expressed concern over delayed compensation for their farm land. Ririma Sector is in Bugesera District, Eastern Province. 

Some of the residents who spoke to this paper last week said government should urgently compensate them in respect of the fact that they were stopped from farming on their land since last year.

Pascasie Nyiragahinda, one of the residents, said they are at risk of  food shortage since they missed this farming season.

“Our land is for farming. Without cultivation we are at risk of hunger,” he said.

Some of the residents’ land was valued at about Rwf2 million.

Nyiragahinda said their cassava and banana plantations were a source of food and income for chool fees.

“We need to be paid, we know that we should move but we have waited for a long time. We have lost hope of being compensated,” Nyiragahinda added.

Most of the residents expressed concern that the value of their land has gone down since.

Samuel Karinda, another resident said, “We are worried because most of us depend on farming. It is very hard for us to survive without farming and now that the planting season is approaching, we will not have a chance to till our land.”

SOURCE : RWANDA NEW TIMES : HERE