Kicukiro: Mediation Committees ‘Abunzi’ trained on affordable, rapid justice service delivery

By Elias Hakizimana.

At least 35 mediators or ‘Abunzi’ organ members from Kicukiro sector in Kicukiro district have acquired professional capacity building skills through a two-day training on promoting quick and affordable justice that solves society disputes in their respective territories.

The training was organized by Human Rights First Rwanda Association (HRFRA) and targets Kicukiro district as the current partner with HRFRA with the aim to reduce the movements and challenges citizens face when taking civil cases in court procedures.

According to the Human Rights First Rwanda Association, it has been remarked that in their daily assignments, mediators take decisions that are beyond their capacity, thus the training becomes a solution to help them increase knowledge that is useful in implementing their job with regard to the legal provisions.

The training that brought together Abunzi committee members from various cells and sectors of Kicukiro district started on Monday, May 8, 2023 and concluded on Tuesday, May 9, 2023.

It has left the trained Abunzi with the knowledge to solve conflicts among the citizens in their respective territories according to Me. Juvens Kanyarushoki, senior legal officer at Human Rights First Rwanda Association.

“In partnership with Kicukiro district, we have organized this training to increase knowledge capacity to mediation committees on various concepts falling under their daily activities such as the law that determines their work and the functionality of Abunzi,” Me. Kanyarushoki says.

Currently, a citizen who is not satisfied by decisions by mediation committees at the cell level has the right to proceed at the sector level.

“When he/she is not satisfied at the sector level, we advise him/her to take the case to the primary court where they enter into law details.” Me. Kanyarushoki says.

Mediation committees face various challenges

Kanyarushoki says that Abunzi committees help a lot in solving civil disputes. He lauds efforts by the government of Rwanda to take these mediators at the grassroot level.

“It is a great solution to civil disputes instead of making unnecessary movements and spending time in courts. When people are in courts, they do not get time to think of development and other important activities, we encourage Abunzi to engage their genuine efforts and work with the citizens to solve available disputes,” he adds.

Most of the disputes solved through mediation committees include land issues and other crimes that involve movable and immovable assets and succession when their value does not exceed three million Rwanda francs (Frw 3,000,000).

Philippe Ntivuguruzwa, a mediator committee member in Kicukiro cell, Kicukiro sector in Kicukiro district says that the training helps them to get extra knowledge needed to solve disputes in their communities.

“We have got knowledge relating to the laws, it will help us to improve our work while reducing the dispute cases that are taken to courts, it will help us to continue building unity and harmony between Rwandans,” he says, adding that most of the disputes include family conflicts are the ones observed in Kicukiro cell as well as in other cities.

Laurence Musabyimana, vice-president of Abunzi mediation committee in Ngoma cell, Kicukiro sector says that current challenges in their work include lack of capacity to determine one’s responsibilities, which could affect law enforcement.

“Sometimes we can break the law and consider ourselves the prosecutor rather than a mediator, this training will help us to know where to use a law and when to take decision as mediator, we have learnt that we must report the decision from the committee to the cell Executive Secretary in the period not exceeding 30 days,” She says.

Me. Canisius KARAKE, a lecturer at UNILAK, former mediator and president of abunzi mediation committee in Kagasa cell in Gahanga sector has shared knowledge to the trainees, reminding them to take a decision on only the case that is not beyond their capacity.

The Mediation Committee is an organ responsible for providing mediation services as a prerequisite for parties to bring an action before competent courts in matters provided for in the competence of the mediation committee.

The committees’ organisation,jurisdiction, competence and functioning are determined by the law Nº 020/2020 of 19/11/2020 and amending law No 37/2016 of 08/09/2016.

theinspirerpublications@gmail.com