BUJUMBURA May 25th (ABP) – Burundi ombudsman Aimée Laurentine Kanyana paid on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, a working visit to Bujumbura province (western Burundi), where she met with the people of that province at the headquarters of the Isare commune, a check by ABP revealed.
In his welcoming address, the governor of that province Mr. Désiré Nsengiyumva indicated that the province is secure and that people are taking the opportunity to increase production in agriculture and livestock so that “every mouth should have something to eat and every pocket, money”.
However, he added, the lack of arable land due to the increase in population is causing land problems. To deal with this problem, the administration is working to raise awareness about family planning, he said.
Taking the floor, Ombudsman Kanyana indicated that this visit is part of making known her institution, how it works and talking with the people of that province to respond to their grievances as recommended by the president of the Republic.
Indeed, Mrs. Kanyana specified that the institution of the ombudsman is an emanation of the Arusha agreements, and is responsible for seeing how the Government and the institutions resulting from it work, to ensure that people have access to what they are entitled to with the administration.
The Burundian ombudsman also indicated that shortly, the institution will put in place five volunteer communal people, who will be responsible for collecting the grievances of the people and ensuring that the latter are received by the administrators, at the image of the ombudsman institution. She also spoke about the vision of the President of the Republic Evariste Ndayishimiye stipulating that by 2040 Burundi will be an emerging country and in 2060, a developed country. To achieve this, Mrs. Kanyana recommended that that people work harder.
During the presentation of grievances to the Burundian ombudsman, the local mediators asked for a salary and work tools. Land disputes were also mentioned, among others, people who bought plots in Mutimbuzi commune.
Responding to questions addressed to her, Mrs. Kanyana said that local mediators know their task, without constraint; they must continue to work tirelessly, and the government, at some point, will respond to their complaints.
Regarding those who have bought land in Mutimbuzi commune and who have not yet obtained it, she asked them to make sure that they have contacted the real owners with the involvement of all the beneficiaries. She recommended all the meeting participants to always have a check before buying a land property because if the wife has not been contacted or even the children, the sales contract is void.
The executives of the Office of the Ombudsman were on hand to collect the various grievances which will have answers afterwards.
To end her remarks, Mrs. Kanyana asked the governor of Bujumbura province to collaborate with the administrator of Mutimbuzi commune, to prepare her visit to that commune to listen to the land problems on the site.