A new ministerial order that gives power to the City of Kigali to take over ownership of idle plots has intensified debate over land rights among owners.
Under a 2024 ministerial order, the City of Kigali has moved to compel owners of idle plots in prime areas, including the Amahoro Stadium precinct, Nyabugogo, Nyarugenge and Kimihurura, to develop their land or risk temporary requisition, and in extreme cases, termination of ownership.
Officials argue that speculation and underutilisation in high-value zones are slowing urban transformation at a time when the city is implementing an ambitious master plan.
On paper, the safeguards appear substantial. Authorities must issue a 90-day written notice before requisition. Landowners can justify delays, submit a development plan within a year, or sub-lease their land.
Permanent termination is framed as a last resort, potentially stretching over five years and requiring documentation, valuation and proof of persistent non-compliance.
From the City’s perspective, the policy is about efficiency and fairness. Prime urban land is scarce. Allowing large plots to sit idle, particularly in areas earmarked for public infrastructure or strategic investment, carries economic and social costs.
Officials also note that compensation follows valuation and agreement, and that termination has so far been limited to a small number of cases, often involving absentee owners.
Yet the concerns raised by affected landowners and rights advocates cannot be dismissed. Property rights are constitutionally protected. Any limitation must strictly conform to the Constitution and due process. Idle land alone, critics argue, is not a sufficient justification if procedures appear inconsistent or opaque.
Cases where compensation timelines slip, or where owners are barred from improving their land while awaiting payment, risk eroding confidence. For some, the issue is not development per se, but predictability and transparency.
Investors, domestic and foreign alike, look for clear rules, consistent enforcement and timely compensation.
Rwanda’s land tenure framework is one of the most progressive in Africa. The challenge now lies in implementation.
If Kigali is to accelerate urban growth while preserving trust, reforms must be applied with scrupulous fairness, transparent communication and unwavering respect for constitutional protections.
Development and property rights need not be adversaries, but balancing them requires care, clarity and credibility.