Family based land conflicts and social economic development: A case study of Karongi District

Abstract

In all communities, conflicts are natural and inevitable; they are inherent to human being interactions. Family based land conflicts are among the most conflicts that result from the use of the scarce resource land. Rwanda is not an exception to these conflicts. Family based land conflicts are exacerbated by the problem of population growth especially the sub-division of land for inheritances purposes. This makes family members quarrel in order to have a big part of land and their socio-economic development is undermined. A study was conducted in Karongi District especially in Gishyita and Mubuga sectors in order to analyze the impact family based land conflicts may have on socio-economic development of family members. The results of the study have revealed that the key salient family based land conflicts are those between parents and their children, between brothers and sisters, between husbands and wives as well as those between orphans and their relatives. Furthermore, the results revealed that the main causes of such conflicts are poverty, land scarcity, polygamy, ignorance of the law related to inheritance and succession, inheritance as well as the desire to satisfy selfish interest. The results have proven that family based land conflicts have a negative impact on socioeconomic development of family members. For the impact on economic development, such conflicts reduce family income, agricultural productivity as well as agricultural employment. As regard to the impact on social development, family based land conflicts restrain the capacity of family members to access health care, shelter and education. In addition to that, family based land conflicts lead very often to violence. Some cases of parricide, fratricide and infanticide have observed in Mubuga and Gishyita sectors. For that reason, some recommendations have been formulated in order to solve family based land conflicts in a peaceful way.