The government has set October 2026 as the deadline to clear more than Rwf4.3 billion in pending compensation for residents affected by the Muvumba multipurpose water resources development project, as concerns grow over persistent delays in expropriation linked to major public investments.

The timeline was disclosed on Tuesday, May 5, by MP Alice Muzana, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Land, Agriculture, Livestock and Environment, while presenting findings on the implementation of the 2019 National Environment and Climate Change Policy.

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"Outstanding compensation valued at Rwf4,317,234,048 remains to be paid, and the Rwanda Water Board plans to resolve this issue by October,” she told Parliament.

The Muvumba project, located in Nyagatare District, is one of the country’s flagship investments designed to support irrigation, electricity generation, water supply, and livestock development. However, delays in compensating affected residents have emerged as a key bottleneck, reflecting broader challenges in the expropriation process.

The development comes following the recent approval of about Rwf80 billion in additional financing from the African Development Bank Group on April 16 to fast-track the project’s implementation. The funding will support a climate-resilient irrigation system covering more than 3,000 hectares.

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The project, currently 50 per cent complete, is designed to store 55 million cubic metres of water and support irrigation, hydropower generation, livestock, fisheries and domestic use.

Once completed, it is expected to irrigate up to 10,000 hectares, supply 50,000 cubic metres of water daily, and benefit nearly 800,000 people, while creating over 4,700 jobs and strengthening food security and climate resilience.

Muzana indicated that compensation-related issues are not unique to Muvumba. In the Sebeya flood control project in Rubavu District, 141 residents are yet to receive compensation due to complications ranging from land registration gaps and inheritance disputes to civil status inconsistencies, boundary conflicts and ongoing court cases.

"These challenges continue to delay payments, but they are expected to be addressed through a dedicated land services week aimed at resolving such cases,” she said.

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Lawmakers heard that while expropriation is a critical step in implementing infrastructure and environmental protection projects, delays risk slowing down project timelines and undermining their intended impact, particularly in areas vulnerable to disasters such as floods and erosion.

Beyond delayed payments, the committee also highlighted concerns about the adequacy and fairness of compensation in some cases. In projects like Nyandungu wetland restoration, some affected residents are still awaiting full compensation, even as parts of the project have already been implemented.

In addition, not all land acquired for public interest projects has been fully regularised. According to the report, some state land where residents were relocated has yet to be formally registered due to pending compensation processes.

The situation raises broader questions about coordination between institutions involved in expropriation, including those responsible for land administration, valuation, financing and project implementation.

To address these issues, the committee stressed the need for timely and fair compensation, backed by improved institutional coordination and streamlined procedures.

Among the measures underway are efforts to resolve land disputes more quickly, strengthen land registration systems, and ensure that all affected persons are properly identified and compensated before project implementation progresses too far.

The government is also exploring alternative approaches, including offering land as compensation in cases where financial payments are delayed, particularly in urban areas where land availability remains a challenge.

Despite the challenges, lawmakers acknowledged that expropriation remains essential to delivering projects that support national development and climate resilience. However, they emphasised that its effectiveness depends on how efficiently and fairly it is implemented.