About Rwf3.7 billion is needed to compensate landowners affected by the upgrading of an informal settlement under the implementation of the Green City Kigali Masterplan.
The compensation will facilitate the start of works under the Green City initiative, a flagship programme designed to develop climate-resilient urban neighbourhoods in Kigali through green urbanisation models.
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The masterplan covers about 600 hectares in Kinyinya Sector, Gasabo District.
"The budget is needed so that works for the Green City project can begin,” said Fidèle Bingwa, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Environment.
The initiative is being implemented by several institutions, including the Rwanda Green Fund.
The funding requirements for expropriation were discussed during deliberations on the Budget Framework Paper for the 2026/27 financial year.
Members of Parliament on May, 25 approved recommendations on the draft budget framework and the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework for 2026/27–2028/29.
"All expropriation issues are among the recommended priorities,” said MP Theogene Munyangeyo.
According to Jean Nepo Ndayambaje, Programme Manager at the Rwanda Green Fund, compensation will cover affected properties, including land, buildings, trees, and other assets under the Ngaruyinka Upgrade Project.
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"The expropriation is needed to ensure affected properties are compensated before construction begins, in line with the law,” he said.
He added that detailed design work is ongoing to determine the exact number of households to be relocated once the upgrade plan is finalised.
Road infrastructure, stormwater drainage systems, rehabilitation of Ngaruyinka market, and construction of a vocational training centre are among the developments expected to require expropriation.
The Ngaruyinka Upgrade Project is one of the pilot schemes under the Green City Kigali initiative, aiming to transform an 18-hectare informal settlement into a climate-resilient urban neighbourhood with infrastructure such as solar street lighting, public facilities, and improved mobility systems.
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Another 16-hectare component will be developed on a greenfield site with no existing structures. This land is under the Green City Kigali Company, in which the Rwanda Green Fund is a shareholder.
The wider Green City Kigali Masterplan spans over 600 hectares and targets carbon neutrality by 2050. It is designed to promote sustainable mobility, with 38% of trips expected to be made on foot or bicycle and 40% via public transport.
The development will also feature EDGE-certified green buildings designed to reduce energy use by 40% and water consumption by 20%.
Once complete, the project is expected to create more than 51,500 jobs and accommodate between 170,000 and 200,000 residents.
It will also include a 70-hectare eco-park to enhance urban biodiversity, alongside affordable housing and commercial spaces.
The project, developed in line with the City of Kigali Master Plan 2050, spans several villages including Rusenyi, Ngaruyinka, Birembo, Taba, Binunga, and Gasharu.
The first phase, covering 16 hectares under a public-private partnership, is expected to be completed by 2030, with 1,700 to 2,000 green homes planned in the initial rollout.
The broader development will also integrate a Bus Rapid Transit system connected to Kigali’s wider transport network, prioritising mass transit and non-motorised mobility.