More than 50 residents of Gako Cell in Ntongwe Sector, Ruhango District, are seeking justice over their land, claiming that sand-mining activities have been carried out on their property without their consent.
Residents Protest Sand-Mining Activities
The residents are from Cyimana and Kantwari villages in Gako Cell, Ntongwe Sector.
They said they were surprised to find employees of a sand-mining company, the Executive Secretary of Gako Cell, a DASSO officer from Ntongwe Sector and the sector agronomist marking boundaries on their land.
According to the residents, sand-mining activities began on their plots the following day.
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Residents Say They Were Threatened With Arrest
Nyirabarera Josiane said boundary markers were placed in her field without her permission. “They put boundary markers in my field without consulting me. When I removed them, they told me they would arrest me. Even when I tried to speak out, they told me they would arrest me.”
Bimenyimana Apollinaire said he also removed markers that had been placed on his land but was threatened with arrest. “I was with my wife watering the crops when I saw sand miners, the Executive Secretary of Gako Cell, a sector DASSO and the sector agronomist. They were putting markers in my field, saying they had come to look for sand in my land. I removed the markers, but they told me they would arrest me. I left, and they came back and put the markers in again.”
Mukaramba Cansilde also alleged that officials had been placing boundary markers on residents’ land and allowing sand to be extracted without first obtaining permission from the landowners.
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Residents Write to District Authorities
On August 8, 2026, 11 residents wrote to Ruhango District authorities, reporting what they described as mistreatment by officials involved in marking boundaries and allowing sand-mining activities on their land.
In their letter, the residents said they were surprised to see authorities bringing an investor, Nshimiyimana Timothée, who owns Zamuka Travel and Supply Company Ltd, onto their land.
They also questioned why they had allegedly been threatened with arrest. “The Executive Secretary of the cell, instead of listening to our concerns, is the one oppressing us, together with the investor on our land,” the letter stated.
The residents asked district authorities to stop the sand-mining activities on their land.
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Sand-Mining Company Says Residents Were Compensated
The Executive Secretary of Gako Cell, who is among those mentioned in the complaint, said the matter should be addressed by the Mayor of Ruhango District.
Nshimiyimana Timothée, the owner of Zamuka Travel and Supply Company Ltd, rejected the residents’ claims that they had not been compensated.
He said the residents had received financial compensation and that the dispute was the result of a misunderstanding.
he said: “Sand was being mined there illegally. Only two people are complaining, and they are also the ones making inappropriate remarks. Where we extract sand, we first compensate the landowner.”
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District Authorities to Investigate the Dispute
Ruhango District Mayor Habarurema Valens told IGIHE that the authorities needed to investigate the matter before reaching a conclusion.
he said: “We need to gather information first and establish the truth of the matter.”
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Residents Want Control Over Sand on Their Land
Previously, residents extracted sand from their own land and used or sold it as they wished.
They now want Zamuka Travel and Supply Company Ltd to leave their land so that they can continue using the sand for their own benefit.
The dispute remains unresolved as district authorities work to establish the facts and determine whether the sand-mining activities and compensation arrangements were carried out according to the law.
