Poor coordination among institutions responsible for disaster prevention has left Rwanda facing an estimated Rwf48.8 billion repair bill while avoidable disasters continue to claim lives and destroy infrastructure, according to a new report presented to the Senate . Senator Hadija Ndangiza Murangwa, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, National Unity and Security which compiled the report, said that although Rwanda has strengthened disaster management structures over the years, prevention efforts remain undermined by poor institutional collaboration, inadequate planning and insufficient funding. ALSO READ: PHOTOS: Rwanda launches road model to boost resilience in disaster-prone areas The institutions responsible for disaster management have been established, but they tend to focus more on responding to disasters than preventing them, Murangwa told senators on July 29. The Senate committee found that poor coordination among agencies responsible for roads, housing and environmental protection has resulted in infrastructure projects that contribute to erosion, flooding and landslides. According to the report, an assessment by the Rwanda Transport Development Agency (RTDA) identified 309 locations where drainage systems along roads either need to be constructed or repaired to safely channel runoff water. ALSO READ: Parliament clears Rwf207bn for disaster response Repairing the damage caused by inadequate drainage will cost the government about Rwf48.8 billion, a figure the committee said exceeds what proper planning would have cost during construction. The cost of repairing damage caused by poor construction is higher than building the infrastructure properly in the first place, Murangwa said. The committee also cited the Rwanda Governance Board's 2024/25 Governance Scorecard, which puts the country's climate resilience index at 56 per cent, saying the figure should be higher given existing disaster prevention initiatives. ALSO READ: Disasters kill 67 in five months as lightning emerges deadliest hazard The report shows that disasters claimed 130 lives in 2025, damaged about 1,800 houses, destroyed 1,100 hectares of crops, and killed more than 100 livestock. Between January 1 and March 11, 2026, floods, landslides and lightning strikes claimed 28 lives. However, the committee acknowledged progress made by the government, including establishing disaster management structures from national to sector level, relocating families from high-risk zones, installing lightning protection systems on public buildings, maintaining emergency relief supplies, and implementing environmental restoration projects. Senators warned that these efforts are being undermined by poor enforcement of environmental safeguards and weak collaboration among public institutions. The report highlighted several areas facing significant disaster risks. In Rutsiro District, 416 households remain in high-risk zones because authorities lack both land and funding to relocate them. In Nyabihu District, the expanding Gisuma landslide in Shyira Sector continues to threaten homes, schools and other infrastructure, while flooding associated with the construction of the Nyabarongo II hydropower dam has worsened the situation. In Nyamagabe District, poor road drainage in Kibirizi Sector has triggered landslides that now threaten Groupe Scolaire Kibirizi and the only road leading to the Mushishito-Rukarara V hydropower plant. During debate on the report, Senator Telesphore Ngarambe said the findings demonstrate that coordination failures remain one of the country's biggest challenges in disaster prevention. He noted that poorly designed roads lacking proper drainage have damaged people's property and imposed huge repair costs on the government. Referring to a recent oversight visit to Rutsiro District, Ngarambe said some 430 houses left dangerously exposed because protective retaining walls had not been built. I asked district officials how often they meet with other institutions to address these risks, and they told me such meetings only happen after landslides occur, he said. Senator Evode Uwizeyimana argued that poor land use planning is becoming an increasingly significant driver of disasters. There is a serious issue concerning land use, he said. People are constructing houses in an unplanned manner. Anyone builds wherever they want, and land designated for agriculture or settlement is not always respected. He warned that unregulated development on hillsides weakens slopes and increases the likelihood of landslides. Uwizeyimana said the Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board (RMB) informed the committee that it requires about Rwf800 million to conduct a nationwide geological study that would guide construction standards based on local ground conditions, but the funding had not been secured. Such a study would help determine appropriate building standards depending on the nature of the land in each area, he said. Today, a house built in Nyagatare follows the same construction standards as one built in Rubavu near the volcanic region, where geological conditions are very different and earthquakes linked to volcanic activity pose greater risks, Uwizeyimana said. He said RMB attributed the delay to persistent budget constraints, despite the study's potential to significantly strengthen disaster prevention. The Senate committee recommended that the government strengthen coordination among institutions responsible for disaster risk management, improve compliance with environmental and land-use regulations, and increase investment in disaster prevention to reduce future human and economic losses.
