Residents along Asphalt Road linking Bugesera and Nyanza districts that is under construction are protesting the unlawful compensation procedures of their affected properties.

Hundreds of families whose properties have been affected by the construction are still waiting for compensation on their properties affected.

“Even though we are in the process of acquiring new infrastructures, which have been affected our properties and yet we have not been compensated. My house has been destroyed. They valuated it in April, but up today, I haven’t gotten anything, yet they are telling us to vacate the house,” Cosma Bimenyimana, a resident of Kabuye cell of Ngarugenge sector in Bugesera district told Rwanda Today.

“My six mango and two avocado trees have been uprooted during the road construction process. I used to get health insurance money for my children from these trees but up to date after the whole year, we haven’t yet got anything,” said Mr Bimenyimana.

“We haven’t known where we will go, we would love to get compensation so that we can start the process of getting a new place before the rain starts,” he added. “Last week, the property valuers assured us that our money was transferred to our bank accounts, but after checking with our bank accounts, no money was there. However, they are urging us to vacate as they need to keep up with the road construction activities,” Jean Marie Vianne Sekamana, a resident of Kabuye cell in the Nyarugenge sector.

“They are telling us that our properties have been compensated yet none of the people I know has received anything. Unless the payment fast-tracked before the rain starts raining, otherwise constructing a new home will be hard during the coming rainy season,” Sekamana added.

Construction of 66-Kilometer road linking Eastern province from Kibugabuga in Bugesera district and Southern province to Gasoro in Nyanya district has seen the property owners’ at the commercial centers lost revenues as the tenants vacated.

“None is getting tenants after every house to be affected or already affected was marked with TOWA sign (get rid of it). None can give you even Rwf3,000 rent that can help you,” said Jean Bosco Ntakirutimana, a resident.