In September 2024, IOM's advocacy enabled a total of 2,140 returned/relocated households in five villages of the Tumbwe chiefdom (Kalemie territory, Tanganyika province) to obtain land occupation documents for the plots where they had built transitional shelters. 

This conclusion comes following months of discussions between the returned/relocated communities and the traditional chiefs of various villages and the Moni group. These chiefs come from the villages of Hongwa, Kyamusenji, Lukwangulo, Mulengi, and Saliboko. The exchanges were facilitated by IOM with the involvement of the Housing-Land-Property (HLP) working group and the Tumbwe chieftaincy. This project worked towards the granting of   land rights for relocated individuals in the return areas, based on the provincial government's agreement granting traditional chiefs the authority to issue land occupation certificates to those affected by displacement. 

Before granting the security documents, the various parties involved in the discussions proceeded to demarcate the land to be ceded and identify the recipients. These individuals have the right to benefit from the allocated land, particularly for agro-pastoral activities. However, they are not permitted to sell the land. 

In Tanganyika, access to agricultural land or housing in villages for relocated and returned persons regularly causes conflicts. Some members of the host community view the transfer of part of their land to relocated populations, who are welcomed for humanitarian reasons, with suspicion. On the other hand, relocated individuals feel insecure, fearing that they might one day be expelled due to the lack of documents guaranteeing their right to fully and permanently enjoy the occupied land. 

In this context of mistrust, IOM’s approach aims to promote social cohesion by bringing different communities together through dialogue to address potential land conflicts arising from uncertainty over land ownership. It also strengthens the integration of relocated individuals into the community, while contributing to long-term economic and social stability.