Members of Parliament have thrown their weight behind tougher measures to address abandoned and unrestored mining pits, warning that the sites continue to endanger lives, pollute rivers and undermine environmental protection efforts across the country.

The backing came during a recent parliamentary session as MPs debated land use and environmental protection with the Minister of Environment, Bernadette Arakwiye, who outlined new enforcement steps and proposed higher rehabilitation guarantees for mining and quarry operators.

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Unrestored mining pits, many of which are linked to illegal or poorly regulated mining remain a major concern, MPs heard, as polluted runoff flows into rivers while open pits increase the risk of accidents for nearby communities and livestock.

"Unrestored mining pits and polluted water flow into rivers, creating risks for people, animals and water treatment plants. These sites are also dangerous, especially where illegal mining is taking place,” Arakwiye told Parliament.

Widespread but unevenly addressed

According to data from the Ministry of Environment, Rwanda has more than 392,000 mining sites and over 786,000 quarrying sites. At least 115 sites have not yet been rehabilitated.

The problem, Arakwiye said, is largely caused by investors who abandon sites after their licences are terminated due to malpractice, illegal miners who operate without restoration plans, and poor mining practices that leave soil exposed to erosion.

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"When soil is not properly protected, rainfall washes it into rivers, polluting water sources and affecting both people and animals,” she said.

Under the 2024 law governing mining and quarry operations, licence holders are required to rehabilitate sites once operations end. This includes refilling and levelling pits, restoring boreholes, planting trees, removing temporary structures and returning land to a safe and usable condition in line with approved environmental and social impact assessments (ESIAs).

Before licences are issued, mining and quarry projects undergo ESIA reviews involving several institutions, including the Rwanda Environment Management Authority, Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board, Ministry of Local Government, Rwanda Development Board and the Rwanda National Police.

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Investors seeking licence renewals must also show proof that sites from previous operations were fully rehabilitated.

MPs demand firmer enforcement

MPs welcomed the proposed reforms, saying abandoned pits continue to threaten both lives and livelihoods, particularly in rural areas.

MP Jean Claude Ntezimana said some pits, dating back to the colonial era, are too large to be rehabilitated through community programmes such as umuganda and remain dangerous.

MP Gloriose Sibobugingo supported the proposal to increase rehabilitation guarantees, noting frustration among district officials over their limited authority to compel investors to restore degraded sites.

MP Egide Nkuranga warned that abandoned pits often become centres of illegal mining, adding that minerals extracted unlawfully are sometimes sold back to licensed companies. He also raised concerns about school dropouts linked to illegal mining activities.

Higher rehabilitation guarantees planned

To strengthen accountability, authorities plan to increase environmental rehabilitation guarantee fees, which investors pay before mining begins and recover only after sites are fully restored.

Arakwiye said the current fees are too low to cover actual rehabilitation costs, reducing incentives for investors to return and restore damaged land.

A revised fee structure and tougher inspections are expected by May.

For abandoned pits with no identifiable investors, districts have rehabilitated smaller sites through community initiatives, while larger pits will require national-level restoration projects that are still being prepared.

Some high-risk sites have been secured, and tree and bamboo planting along riverbanks is ongoing to reduce erosion and flooding.

Push for clearer fee calculations

Béatha Akimpaye, Division Manager for Environmental Compliance and Enforcement at REMA, said rehabilitation guarantees are part of the ESIA process and are deposited with the Rwanda Green Fund.

She noted that rehabilitation costs are often under-estimated due to the lack of a harmonised calculation method, a gap authorities are now working to close.

"A consistent approach will also support progressive rehabilitation, where investors restore completed sections before moving to new areas,” Akimpaye said, adding that higher and more realistic guarantees would make it harder for operators to abandon sites without restoring them.