One-stop-centre opens in Gasabo

Gasabo Mayor, Willy Ndizeye.

A one stop construction centre has been launched in Gasabo District to help enhance better service delivery.

During the function, the Gasabo District mayor, Willy Ndizeye, said there will be no bureaucracy in the issuance of construction permits that previously took a one over 210 days.

“Previously, there were different departments that included construction, land registration, inspection but now any one in need will get the service from one point,” Ndizeye said.

The centre will be charged with among others, land management, human settlement and infrastructure, tourism, and investment.

Ndayizeye pointed out that the centre which cost over Rwf30 million would streamline responsibilities and specialisation among staff.

He said ever since the centre began its operations, it has helped to curb allegations of graft.

“There will be no room for graft,” he pledged.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Louise Mushikiwabo, who is also the district’s caretaker in the central government, called on the district officials to enhance service delivery to area residents.

“You should endeavour to offer quick service to the residents who have no time to spend running after one service,” she said.

Residents, who spoke to The New Times, admitted that they had witnessed changes in the level of service delivery.  

‘I have been told to get my land transfer document in two days which was not the case before, when it would take three months,” one resident said.

The move to set up the districts one stop-stop centres came after the success of the Kigali One-Stop Centre which was established in April 2010 to facilitate Doing Business in the country. Since then, the centre has enhanced the provision of better and quick service delivery.

http://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/index.php?i=15062&a=56234

Wetlands to be demarcated

Wetlands will soon be demarcated. 

 

The ongoing exercise to demarcate wetlands countrywide will begin in the Western Province before the end of July, Rwanda Natural Resources Authority (RNRA) has said.

The Deputy Director General of Land and Mapping at RNRA, Eng. Didier Sagashya, yesterday, told The New Times that the exercise, which began in the three districts of Kigali, is currently at its final stages in the Eastern Province.

“We are remaining with only two districts in the Eastern Province and we shall immediately move on to the Western Province, where we expect a lot of work compared to what we have so far done in other areas,” said Sagashya.

The completion of the exercise is expected to confirm the clear boundaries of the wetlands, thereby paving way for people owning land near wetlands to acquire legal ownership.

“Since we shall have the identified boundaries of these wetlands, it will be easy to verify land that is owned by individuals and this will help them to acquire their land titles.”

According to the organic law enacted in 2004, all wetlands belong to the government but if proved otherwise, the public can use it strictly for agricultural purposes.

It is also expected that this exercise would correct any form of errors that may have arisen  during the 2007 demarcation exercise.

The exercise is being conducted by RNRA in collaboration with Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), which will also carry out the quality and confirmation of work carried out.

The Director of Environmental Regulation and Pollution Control at REMA, Remy Norbert Duhuze, said that the exercise would bring about significant changes.

“The 2007 demarcation exercise was only based on environment protection and conservation but did not have decisions on the boundaries of land owned by individuals from the wetlands,” he said.

He noted that the exercise would also identify inconsistencies on land previously thought of as part of wetlands and correct them appropriately.

http://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/index.php?i=15058&a=56094

We want to see land transfer fees changed or reduced

We want to see land transfer fees changed or reduced– Nkurunziza By The New Times July 16, 2012Share

The Director General of Rwanda Natural Resources Authority (RNRA), Emmanuel Nkurunziza. The New Times / John Mbanda.The Director General of Rwanda Natural Resources Authority (RNRA), Emmanuel Nkurunziza, has said they are planning to remove or reduce land transfer fees which continue to be a burden to Rwandan citizens.

The New Times’ Frank Kanyesigye caught up with Nkurunziza who explained about the formal ownership of land in the country and his institution’s achievements and challenges.

Below are the  extracts: 

Q: Land registration was completed, why the initiative to kick off this programme?

A: The land registration was based on the national land policy which was put in place in 2004. It was established after analysing the key land issues in the country and one of the things that were identified was lack of tenure security.

For more, go to: 
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Gov’t to sensitize public about Land transfer procedures

Emmanuel Nkurunziza

Rwandans need to be sensitised about the formal procedures of land transfers in the country, says Emmanuel Nkurunziza, the Director General of Rwanda Natural Resources Authority (RNRA).

He made the remarks this week in an interview with The Sunday Times.

“We have finished registering land and the next stage is to carry out awareness and communication to enable the public understand the proper procedures of land transfer if they want to transfer their land from one person to another,” he said.

The land registration process that was completed last month saw 10.3 million parcels registered countrywide. Out of this, 10,600 families involved in land wrangles were recorded.

Most of the land conflicts are largely among family members who failed to agree on sharing land especially in polygamous families.

“We have come to realise that people don’t know proper procedures of land transfers. They sell their parcels to others and forget to sign a transfer agreement at the office of the land notary,” Nkurunziza noted.

He stated that, if people want to transfer their land, they are required to sign a transfer agreement at the office of the land notary who is the district land officer. Basing on that form; the land body would be in position to change ownership from one person to another.

The awareness campaign will focus on explaining to the public how to transfer their land after a transaction, get land titles, and transfer from the original holder to the new one among others.

Land demarcation and adjudication was supposed to end by June this year while the issuing of land titles is set to end by December 2013.

People who want to transfer their land; pay a notarisation fee of Rwf 20,000 but the land body wants to see the fee scraped or reduced.

“We are working out a model where we can exempt some people from this fee or reduce it to make sure it is commensurate to the value of the property that has been transacted,” said Nkurunziza.

In 2004, the government enacted an organic law on land to guarantee a safe and stable form of land tenure. Prior to that, the country never had a proper land policy.

http://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/index.php?i=15054&a=12422

Malawian delegation visits local NGO

Malawian Ombundsman Justice Tujilane Chizumila (L) chats with the deputy Ombundsman of Rwanda Bernadette Kanzayire on arrival. The New Times / File.

Governments should consider combining forces with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to serve the interest of the population.

The observation was made by the Executive Secretary of the Ombudsman of Malawi, Ellos E. Lodzeni, at the headquarters of the Rwanda Initiative for Sustainable Development (RISD).

Lodzeni is part of a Malawian delegation on a week-long visit to the country led by his country’s Ombudsman, Justice Tujilane Chizumila.

“From what we have learnt, CSO`s and governments should coordinate since they are both working towards a common goal of serving the interests of citizens,” said Chizumila said.

His observation came shortly after an interactive meeting between RISD staff and the delegation. RISD is a local NGO dealing with land related issues. The organisation has a pact with  the Office of the Ombudsman among other institutions and organisations.

“Although local authorities get down to the grassroots, CSO`s have mechanisms through which they get information concerning challenges the population face,” he said.

During the visit, the delegation requested for further information on how the local ombudsman’s office deals with private individuals and RISD’s role on the same.

The Malawians noticeably pointed out that their ombudsman’s office solely deals with public issues.   

The Director of RISD, Annie Kairaba, highlighted her organisation’s activities in solving land related issues especially those involving vulnerable people.

“In case we consult some ministries concerning challenges citizens face and they fail to respond, it is very easy for us to seek the intervention from the office of the ombudsman because of the MoU we have,” Kairaba explained.

She explained that RISD had played a significant role in building the capacity of the “Abunzi” (mediators) saying they have been effective in solving land disputes during the on-going land reforms.

http://www.risdrwanda.org/spip.php?article157&var_mode=calcul