Rumonge : a legal conflict between tenants and owners of stalls at the central provincial market

While modern markets have fallen under the operation of the OBR (Burundi Revenue Authority), a legal conflict has broken out in the case of the central market of Rumonge (southwest Burundi). And for good reason, according to the new standard, names of operators must appear on the OBR contracts as owners, while the latter signed lease contracts with those who built the stalls. The provincial administration is unable to decide. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

With the new management of modern markets, the OBR has drawn up new contracts with the operators. However, in Rumonge, things are getting complicated.

“At one point, the provincial authority demanded metal stalls. But since it did not have the funds to do so, traders and individuals agreed to invest their own money for the related expenses. Some then rented the stalls registered in their name to other traders,” explain sources in Rumonge.

These sources specify that everything had been going well between the two parties for more than 5 years and the operators respected the contracts that bound them to the real owners.

But with the arrival of the OBR in the case, things took a different turn.

“The operator is granted the right to become the owner while he was the tenant of another person who, himself, had this power by consensus with the authority,” explain traders established at the market of one of the richest provinces in Burundi, if not the wealthiest. Traders and individuals who spent their money to build the stalls are not beating around the bush.

“Either the OBR agrees to sign the contract with us, or we don’t. We spent huge amounts to have these stalls. The minimum was three million five hundred thousand Burundi francs. How do you want us to be excluded?,” react some traders who have rented stalls.

The district authority acknowledges the grievances, but it is so far difficult to decide.

“We have given the operators and their landlords a week to reach an agreement. The order to change the management of the markets comes from the hierarchical authority of the country,” explained Augustin Minani, district administrator of Rumonge after a meeting with the two sides.

However, the latter accuse him of shirking his responsibilities. They are asking for more time to find a solution that satisfies everyone.