How new water use plan for Rwandan lakes affects businesses

Water users who currently hold permits for various activities in five Rwandan lakes will be required to relocate as the new master plan for the waterbodies designates their current location for other purposes, The New Times has learnt. The current permits will not be renewed if the activities are not in line with the Lake Water Use Master Plan, developed by the Rwanda Water Resources Board to guide the sustainable utilisation of water in the lakes Kivu, Muhazi, Mugesera, Ruhondo and Burera. ALSO READ: Illicit fishing threatens biodiversity in Lake Kivu The activities currently being carried out on the five lakes include fish farming in cages, recreational activities, tourism, and gas extraction. Other activities include fishing and marine transport, with navigation routes which have also been assigned designated zones in the master plan. There are currently over 1,000 water permits issued in Rwanda. The master plan, released in March 2025, outlines specific allocations for recreation, transport, agriculture, fishing, energy production, and methane gas exploration. Lake Kivu It indicates that the zone dedicated to methane gas exploration on the Rwandan side of Lake Kivu covers 31 percent of the area, while the zone dedicated to harvesting naturally occurring fish (capture fisheries) covers 53 percent. The lake, which covers a total surface area of 2,730 square kilometres, is Rwanda’s largest lake and the sixth largest in Africa. ALSO READ: Major methane gas exploitation projects on Lake Kivu Fish farming will cover seven per cent of the water surface, and tourism and recreation, eight per cent. Muhazi and Mugesera Lake Muhazi, with 33 square kilometres, and Lake Mugesera, with 40 km², are located in the eastern part of Rwanda. Fish farming in Lake Muhazi will be carried out on 42 per cent of the lake’s surface, tourism and recreation are planned for 41 per cent, and two per cent will be reserved for water supply for households. In Lake Mugesera, tourism and fishing will cover 99 percent of the lake’s surface, while water supply will come from 0.7 per cent. Twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo Lakes Burera and Ruhondo, which together cover 2,800 hectares, are located in the Northern Province. On Lake Burera in Northern Province, tourism and recreational activities are planned for 30 per cent, fish farming for 11 per cent, and harvesting naturally occurring fish (capture fisheries) for 57 per cent. ALSO READ: Investors look to exploit Rwanda’s popular twin lakes Tourism and recreation will cover 23 percent of Lake Ruhondo, fish farming will cover 9 percent, and harvesting naturally occurring fish (capture fisheries) will cover 67 per cent. “Water users who currently hold valid permits but are operating in zones that the new master plan designates for other purposes will be allowed to continue their activities in their current locations until their permits expire, Vital Munyandinda, the Water Permits Division Manager at the Water Resources Board told The New Times. Before the permits expire, the users will receive timely notifications to ensure they have adequate time to relocate their activities to the appropriate zones, thereby avoiding conflicts among different water uses in the lakes.” ALSO READ: Kivu Choice launches Rwanda’s first 30-metre tilapia cage farms All water users operating in lakes are required to obtain water use permits, as stipulated in the ministerial order relating to water use permits, which are generally valid for 15 years and are renewable. The new Lakes Master Plan designates suitable zones for each type of activity or water use within the lakes,” Munyandinda explained. He noted that this plan “serves as guidance for water users and potential investors on where to locate their proposed activities in line with sustainable lake management.” ALSO READ: 1,500 businesses risking prison, penalties over water permits The zoning outlined in the Lakes Water Use Master Plan was informed by existing water uses in the five lakes, as well as by other relevant plans, including the tourism master plan and the land use master plan, the official said. “Additionally, the plan considers specific physical and ecological characteristics of the lakes, such as water depth and temperature,” he added. Dedicated navigation routes on Lake Kivu Marine transport has been allocated designated zones across the five lakes, the Water Resources Board confirmed. Lake Kivu is set to receive dedicated routes to enhance navigability and ensure the safety of passengers and goods. ALSO READ: Lake Kivu: Police intensify efforts to minimise fatal accidents François Mivugo Gihozo, the Single Project Implementation Unit Coordinator at the Rwanda Transport Development Agency (RTDA), said that three maritime transport studies will be conducted to determine the safety of transport activities in Lake Kivu. He said not all areas of the lake are currently safe for boats. “Some sections of the lake present obstacles that can cause accidents. This project will install navigation aids, including buoys and signalling systems, to help boats safely navigate dedicated waterways and avoid hazards,” Gihozo said. Moise Niyomugabo, the head of the Bwishyura Kivu Boat Cooperative, which organises tours on Lake Kivu, welcomed the proposed studies in Lake Kivu, whose findings he said would help in streamlining their daily actities. “The master plan will also help navigate boats even during the night, he said. It will help us know the distance of the waterways we use for better planning in terms of logistics and fuel consumption, in addition to ensuring the safety of people and goods.”

News

How new water use plan for Rwandan lakes affects businesses