By JOHNSON KANAMUGIRE

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Landowners in the controversial Bannyahe slum have now petitioned Gasabo District seeking reparations for losses incurred over the nearly two years since the relocation exercise started.

While the law on expropriation set 120 days as the time frame for payment of compensation, the slum dwellers argue that the process has delayed by more than 13 months as the district advisory council approved it on February 15, 2018 while the valuation had been carried out in October 2017.

In their letters submitted to Gasabo District, City of Kigali and the Ministry of Local Government, they are demanding that the entire expropriation exercise be cancelled since the previous process violated the provisions of the law.

They are demanding fresh contract negotiations including new valuation.

“We demand that they pay us for the inconvenience caused as stipulated in the law. If they are still interested in carrying out the project, we need fresh negotiations and valuation,” said Jean de Dieu Shikama, one of the landowners, who is demanding Rwf2.7 million in his petition letter dated July 8.

“We are prepared to proceed to court if the district doesn’t respond in a month. This time we shall seek the court to render the expropriation null and void, and help us get paid reparations,” he added.

The development risks prolonging the stalemate even further, which has dragged for over a year and has been characterised by court battles as over 1,000 Bannyahe homeowners insist on getting cash compensation as opposed to houses offered to give way for the high-end housing project by Savannah Creek.

Several landowners, who had filed a case in court that was dropped on the grounds that they had not appealed to City of Kigali before taking up litigation, said both the city council and Gasabo District had failed to resolve their issues.

They say the prolonged delay has affected their livelihoods including access to bank loans and getting tenants.

Jean Paul Turinabo, another resident seeking Rwf425,574 in reparation from the district said a lot had changed in the property market with rates ranging between Rwf8,000 and Rwf12,500 per square metres at the time the valuation exercise, now it’s at between Rwf49,700 and Rwf107,000.

According to the law relating to expropriation in the public interest, in case of failure to pay fair compensation within the set time frame, the expropriator is bound to pay five per cent of the compensation.

It adds that the expropriation becomes null and void unless otherwise agreed upon between the parties.

Speaking to Rwanda Today, the Gasabo District Mayor Stephen Rwamurangwa acknowledged receipt of the letter, but insisted they would continue to pursue dialogue to reach a compromise.

Mr Rwamurangwa said there was no one appropriate model to deal with informal settlements, and there were those that have to be eradicated while others need upgrading.