Rubavu District has launched a technical and legal review of the dispute between Saga Bay and Lakeside View Lounge and Restaurant, following months of disagreement over a long-term lease, property ownership and alleged attempts to evict the tenant.
Mayor Prosper Mulindwa said a team comprising representatives from the District, the Ministry of Justice and Rwanda Investigation Bureau will begin reviewing the matter on Monday, August 10, 2026.
Both companies have been asked to provide relevant documents, while the team may interview the parties and visit the disputed property.
The intervention comes as the Rwanda Development Board is also examining why earlier pleas for assistance apparently failed to produce a resolution.
Richard Kayibanda, RDB’s Chief Licensing Officer, told Taarifa yesterday that he is investigating why there was no intervention despite Abraham having pleaded with relevant authorities, including RDB.
“This is part of what I want to ascertain with colleagues in charge of managing incoming correspondence on Monday,” Richard said. He added that “it is better to wait for completion of substantive review.”
The dispute centres on Lakeside View, operated by Eritrean investor Awtseana Welday Abraham, who says he signed a 10-year lease with former landlord Eugene Sibomana in January 2024 and invested substantially in developing the business.
Sibomana later sold the property to Saga Bay, without notifying Abraham, triggering disagreement over the continuing validity of the lease and control of the premises.
The confrontation later escalated, with Lakeside View alleging obstruction of access to its business by Saga Bay and resulting into financial losses.
Police and RIB previously intervened as tensions intensified. Lakeside View is now open and operational.
Sibomana has not responded to requests for comment.
Meanwhile, Abraham told Taarifa this afternoon that he was “extremely happy” with the latest intervention and confident that he would finally secure justice, either by continuing operations under his agreement or receiving compensation if necessary.
Saga Bay owner Umwali Belinda has also expressed confidence in the review. “The truth will come out,” she told Taarifa.
Sibomana, the former landlord whose lease agreement and subsequent sale of the property are central to the dispute, has not responded to Taarifa’s queries.
The findings of the technical and legal review will form the basis of a subsequent meeting between District authorities and the two companies to determine the way forward.
