The Rotary Club of Mgahinga in Kisoro District is accusing the Speaker of the Kisoro District Council, Amos Hakizimana, of uprooting trees that were recently planted along the Rucheribuga-Gasasira road reserve in Kisoro Municipality.
On December 20, 2024, the Rotary Club of Mgahinga planted 60 trees along the Rucheribuga-Gasasira road reserve as part of an initiative to protect the environment and enhance the local ecosystem. However, it was alleged that the Kisoro District Speaker uprooted the trees shortly after they were planted.
President of the Rotary Club of Mgahinga, Peace Ruzaza, raised the issue during the Kisoro Municipal Council’s end-of-year sitting on Monday, seeking guidance. She disclosed that before planting the trees, they had consulted the Kisoro Municipality authorities, who granted them permission to plant along the road reserve.
Ruzaza expressed concern about the political tensions in Kisoro District, warning that such issues could affect the club’s voluntary contributions to the local community. She said, “As the Rotary Club of Mgahinga, we planted trees along the road reserve in Kisoro Municipality on Friday, but on Saturday, we heard that they were uprooted by the district speaker. It’s quite absurd because we invested a lot of money into this project. As a Rotary club, we also operate on a voluntary basis, and if you’re fighting us, you’re also fighting the community. These offices you’re in are temporary—our grandchildren will occupy them in the future.”
Kisoro District Speaker Amos Hakizimana, while addressing the district council on Monday, also accused the Kisoro Municipality authorities of attempting to grab district land during the Christmas festival, which led to his anger and the uprooting of the trees. He claimed that the municipality has a habit of attempting to seize district land within the municipality’s boundaries. Hakizimana said, “Whenever these municipal authorities see any vacant land, they always want to grab it. Imagine, they wanted to use this Christmas holiday to grab our land. By the end of the festival, these trees would have matured. It’s true I uprooted them, but it was out of anger.”
Similarly, the Kisoro Municipal Town Clerk, Ayubu Kisubi, characterized the situation as a conflict between the municipality and the district over land. He revealed that the land in question belongs to the municipality, although Kisoro District is attempting to claim it. Kisubi stated, “Planting trees within the municipality is one way of conserving the environment. The district authorities wanted to grab this land because they thought I was new to the area, but after making consultations, I found out that it is municipal land.”
During the council meeting, municipal councilor for the elderly, Musabyimana Erastus, criticized municipal authorities for not conducting regular surveys of municipal properties, which has led to confusion. He said, “The municipal land is being grabbed by the district because the technocrats have remained silent when it comes to surveying municipal land. Uprooting the trees that were planted along the road reserve is like an awakening call.”
Meanwhile, Kisoro District LCV Chairperson Abel Bizimana criticized the district authorities for failing to utilize district land for development, which has led to public land being grabbed. He noted, “Our land is being grabbed because it has been left vacant for quite a long time. These municipal authorities have taken it upon themselves to oversee district land.”
