Kabalisa Salomo, the Executive Secretary of Rambura Sector in Nyabihu District, is accused of selling four cows belonging to a resident, leaving him in poverty. However, he denies the allegations, claiming he does not even know what the cows look like.
On Friday, January 10, 2024, this issue was raised during a visit by the Governor of the Western Province, Jean Bosco Ntibitura, to Nyabihu District.
In an exclusive interview with BWIZA, Habiyaremye Thomas, who accuses the Executive Secretary of selling his cows, confirmed that Kabalisa defrauded him of four cows, causing him financial hardship and forcing him to repeatedly seek justice from authorities.
Habiyaremye, a resident of Kintobo Sector, explained that he had moved his cows to Rambura Sector due to a lack of pasture in Kintobo. A friend from Rambura had assured him that there was sufficient pasture there, so he relocated the cows along with a herder to take care of them. He regularly brought food for the herder and bought feed for the cows. However, he was shocked to learn that the Executive Secretary of the sector had sold his cows in front of other residents. Despite seeking intervention from various authorities, he has yet to receive justice since August 2024.
He further lamented that his cows, including one that produced 10 liters of milk per day and another that produced 5 liters, were sold for 1,300,000 Rwandan francs, yet he has no idea who took the money. He estimates that the real value of the cows was no less than 4 million Rwandan francs.
Habiyaremye also expressed frustration, saying that Kabalisa is protected by the district leadership, making it difficult for him to get justice.
“My cows were sold on August 3, 2024. I reported the matter to a RIB officer in Nyabihu, who advised me to take it to the District Mayor. On August 5, I went to the district, and they signed to acknowledge my complaint. However, when I continued to follow up, they refused to sign my subsequent letters. In September, I wrote to the Western Province authorities, but I have yet to receive any help.”
He added that the incident has had severe consequences, including his children suffering from malnutrition due to a lack of milk, difficulties in farming due to the loss of manure, and endless trips seeking justice. He is calling for intervention so that he can get his cows back.
Tuyishime Elie, the leader of Rwamikeri Village in Ryinyo Cell, Kintobo Sector, where Habiyaremye originally kept his cows, confirmed that the cows belonged to him and that he had relocated them in search of pasture.
“The cows belonged to Habiyaremye, but he moved them to Rambura, where the local leader was his friend, to find better pasture. We were surprised to learn that they had been sold, leaving him in poverty despite being well-off before.”
However, Kabalisa Salomo denied the allegations in an interview with BWIZA, saying:
“I have never sold any resident’s cows because I don’t even know what they looked like. This is simply an attempt to tarnish my reputation, as some people believe that accusing a leader gives weight to their claims.”
Nyabihu District Mayor, Mukandayisenga Antoinette, also spoke to BWIZA and confirmed that the case was reported after the cows had already been sold.
“The resident reported the issue when the cows had already been sold by the wife of the deceased owner. We formed a team to investigate, but we did not find a clear resolution because different people gave conflicting accounts. We have now set up another joint team to dig deeper and determine the rightful owner of the cows.”
She added that initially, they struggled to resolve the issue and advised Habiyaremye to take legal action by presenting solid evidence in court. As local leaders, they had aimed to mediate the dispute.
A letter written by Kabalisa Salomo to Habiyaremye, stamped with the district seal, was found, indicating an inquiry into the origins of the disputed cows.
Nyabihu District has also been urged to help the affected resident, but he continues to seek justice without success.
The Western Province authorities were also contacted but have yet to respond to the resident’s complaints.
