The Kangondo settlement commonly known as Bannyahe
Hundreds of residents from Kangondo 1&2 and Kibiraro slums, a.k.a Bannyahe have handed over their case to two attorneys who will face Gasabo district in their expropriation wrangle.
The slum adjacent to Nyarutarama high end residential area in Kigali entered into an expropriation wrangle with Gasabo district since earlier this year.
Gasabo had proposed to expropriate them in exchange of new apartments under construction in Busanza, Kicukiro district. The city wants this slum to look like the high end neighborhood across the road.
The residents contested the offer while saying it does not have value for money.
They requested the district to use the traditional procedure to evaluate their properties and give them money to settle where they want, in vain.
About 700 residents are part of this trial. On December 7, 2018, they headed to Gasabo Intermediate court for a second pre-trial hearing.
“Bannyahe” residents at Gasabo intermediate court
As earlier demanded by Gasabo district attorney Justine Niyorushikana, Bannyahe plaintiffs brought an attorney to replace their four representatives whom they had entrusted the case.
“Since this is a case of citizens and in their interest, we ask that this is made clear in the trial. I and three other colleagues will not represent them anymore. We have agreed to take two lawyers who will face Gasabo district,” Jean de Dieu Shikama, a lead resident behind the case said on Friday.
Innocent Ndihokubwayo and Boniface Nizeyimana are the two attorneys who will battle the expropriation wrangle.
Their task is to convince the court that Gasabo district should give their clients money, and compensate them “for involving them in a trial which was not necessary.”
Meanwhile, some residents have pulled out from the trial and accepted Gasabo offer.
From this background, the court gave the plaintiffs until December 13,2018 to decide if they want to change their mind or to proceed with litigation on January 6,2018.
