Kicukiro District has ordered a comprehensive review of the 306-hectare Karama II settlement site in Kanombe Sector, after discovering that many land plots were improperly designed and failed to meet city planning standards.

The directive targets both the contractor and local authorities involved in the project, citing significant deviations from the City of Kigali’s master plan—particularly regarding minimum plot sizes required for residential development.

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The directive, issued in a letter dated July 24, 2025, and addressed to the site’s leadership cites City of Kigali Council Resolution 433/19.10.2022, which approved the Karama settlement plan.

The review stems from a technical report revealing that many plots within the Karama II site, designated as a High-Density Residential Zone (R4), do not meet the city’s minimum recommended size of 750 square metres, as outlined in the master plan.

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The High-Density Residential Zone (R4) allows for medium-rise housing with integrated commercial spaces, public facilities, and eco-tourism amenities.

It supports high-density residential use, home-based enterprises, and R2 house types (if the plot is less than 750 sqm).

Industrial uses and major infrastructure developments are prohibited in this zone.

Conditional land use permits may be granted for restaurants, hotels (and ancillary uses), guest houses, lodges, public facilities, commercial retail spaces, offices, and micro-enterprises.

"I am writing to request that all requirements for modifying land plots that do not meet the recommended size be fulfilled, in order to comply with provisions in the city’s master plan,” reads the letter signed by Antoine Mutsinzi, the Executive Administrator of Kicukiro District.

A landowner in the Karama II settlement site, who preferred to remain anonymous, told The New Times that the contractor responsible for designing and constructing roads in 2023 failed to allocate plots with the required minimum size of 750 square metres.

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"Some residents have plots with the recommended size, but others received undersized plots—690 sqm, 727 sqm, 735 sqm, among others. Before the site was demarcated, my family owned 3,057 square metres split into four plots. After demarcation, roads took up a significant portion of our land, leaving us with only three plots. However, none of the remaining plots meet the required 750 sqm, so the city has rejected our request for land titles,” he explained.

He stressed the need for transparency during the modification process, especially given that they had already contributed a substantial portion of land for road development.

"We paid over Rwf250,000 as a contribution to site development. Some landowners have already built houses, which could complicate the modification of plots,” he added.

Another landowner stated that he had contributed 72 square metres for road construction and expressed concerns about the potential costs and delays associated with reviewing the site.

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"We’re concerned that this will incur additional costs and take a long time. We wonder why the contractor did not use the plot sizes specified in the approved physical plan, leading to the city rejecting our requests for land titles,” he said.

The New Times reached out to the contractor, Geotec Company, responsible for demarcating the site, who promised to respond but had not done so at the time of publication.

Stakeholder meeting set for Friday

The settlement site president told The New Times that following the letter from Kicukiro District requesting modifications, a meeting involving landowners, the contractor, and cell council members is scheduled for Friday, August 8, 2025, to discuss the changes.

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"The contractor began studying the site in 2020, before the city council approved the physical plan in 2022, when the 750 sqm minimum plot size was established. Some landowners had already started receiving construction permits before then. The land committee must meet with landowners to discuss the necessary modifications, given that roads have already been constructed,” he said.

Grace Nishimwe, Director General and Chief Registrar of Land Titles at the National Land Authority (NLA), told The New Times that she will engage with Kicukiro District to closely monitor the issues raised.

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Kicukiro District has moved to allay residents’ fears, stating that landowners’ concerns should be taken into account during the development of settlement sites.

In 2021, the National Land Use Authority issued new guidelines intended to ensure proper planning and development of settlement sites.

The guidelines stress the involvement of various stakeholders, including community members, landowners, real estate developers, engineers, land surveyors, urban planners, researchers, and local leaders, to ensure that all required amenities are considered before a settlement site is approved.

Given the financial implications of designing and servicing settlement areas, prospective homeowners are required to organise themselves and mobilise the necessary resources.

40,000 land plots approved

Meanwhile, the City of Kigali has approved nine new settlement sites, authorising the issuance of construction permits since the beginning of 2025.

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These sites collectively offer nearly 40,000 land plots for purchase, having been approved by the City Council.

The key benefit of buying land in demarcated and approved settlement sites is the immediate eligibility for construction permits, fully aligned with the city’s master plan.

The approved sites include Gatunda and Gasanze Phase 3 in Nduba Sector, Gisasa and Masizi in Bumbogo Sector, Masoro Phase 2 and Rudashya in Ndera Sector, Nyagihanga Phase 1, Phase 2, and Phase 7 in Rusororo Sector.

Each district has its own development phases—some areas have already received physical plans, while others are under gradual development depending on budget availability.