The City of Kigali has put on hold the approval of detailed physical plans for new residential sites. Officials said this is because previously approved plans have yet to be developed to a satisfactory level. At least 64,890 land plots in approved residential zones are yet to be developed, according to the city's assessment. ALSO READ: 10 major changes in the new Kigali master plan According to the city's land use master plan, physical plans are well-designed settlement sites with infrastructure that includes public services, drainage, transport, economic activities, recreation, and amenities to protect the environment. These plans are approved by the City Council members. Once the physical plans are in place, property owners and developers can obtain construction permits. Landowners in some parts of the city are decrying delays in obtaining construction permits for residential houses due to the lack of approved physical plans. ALSO READ: Why some landowners will wait longer for construction permits “We counted 103,000 land plots in approved physical plans, and only 37 per cent of them have been developed so far,” City Vice Mayor in Charge of Urbanisation and Infrastructure, Fulgence Dusabimana, said on Wednesday, January 21. ALSO READ: Inside new model to upgrade informal settlements He added that the residential site with the highest rate of development had 70 per cent of plots built, while others were as low as 14 per cent. “We want these land plots to be developed first to avoid speculation before approving new physical plans for settlement sites. Those failing to develop their plots risk losing them,” he warned. New guidelines City of Kigali Mayor Samuel Dusengiyumva has said that new guidelines for development of residential sites will set timeline for landowners to develop their plots. ALSO READ: Govt issues new guidelines to reduce informal settlements “There are about 50 approved physical plans for residential zones, but many plots remain undeveloped,” Dusengimana told journalists on Wednesday. “We plan to use updated technology to guide the development of physical plans. This will prevent new approvals before the previous plans are implemented. We must assess whether approved plans have been developed before deciding on new ones,” he noted. Missed deadline for development of physical plans on 8,000 hectares The Office of the Auditor General has raised concerns about missed deadlines for developing physical plans covering 8,361 hectares in Kigali. The demarcation of these residential areas was scheduled for completion by 2024 as part of the first phase of the City Master Plan. Delays were highlighted in the Auditor General’s 2023/24 report. The Kigali Master Plan 2050 outlines a phased approach to implementation: Phase 1 (2019–2024), Phase 2 (2025–2031), Phase 3 (2032–2038), and Phase 4 (2039–2045). Each phase builds on the previous one, with a clear focus on achieving the long-term vision of the plan. The Auditor General’s report found that only 49 per cent of the 8,300 hectares for Phase 1 had physical plans. As a result, a review of building permits issued between July 2021 and December 2024, alongside shapefiles of areas with physical plans, showed that nearly 6,200 permits were issued in areas with no detailed plans. “The government may incur significant expenses to compensate citizens during expropriation for infrastructure development because buildings were erected without physical plans,” the Auditor General warned. The city officials said that developing physical plans requires a prior budget for infrastructure such as roads, drainage, water, and street lighting. Mayor Dusengiyumva further noted that even where physical plans were completed, some sites remained idle as property owners had not begun construction. “Planning must align with actual land use. Otherwise, it leads to wasted resources,” he said, adding that speculation by some property dealers had driven up land prices, while policy changes had slowed the permitting process. As the city prepares to enter Phase 2 of the Master Plan implementation, Dusengiyumva promised a review of initial targets and renewed focus on ensuring that physical plans are both realistic and inclusive. Physical plans conflicting with master plan The Office of the Audit General also found that 19 of 30 approved physical plans conflicted with the city master plan. This affects at least 6,242 plots. The issues included plots located in stormwater drainage areas, forest overlays, zones prone to landslide, high- and medium-voltage line buffers, steep slopes of over 50%, and areas crossed by sewer pipes. These conflicts arose because the development of the Kigali City Master Plan and its physical plans preceded the formulation of sectoral master plans for energy and power, water, and wetlands, the audit found.
