The Office of the Ombudsman recorded 3,106 cases in the 2025/2026 financial year, up from 2,305 complaints reported in 2024/2025, with land-related matters accounting for the largest share of written complaints, according to an annual report presented to a joint session of Parliament on October 22. jb The Office recorded 250 land-related complaints among 661 written submissions, according to its annual activity report for 2025/2026 and action plan for 2026/2027, presented to a joint session of Parliament on Thursday, October 22. ALSO READ: Complaints filed to Ombudsman’s Office rose by 45% this year “The land cases are still leading,” Chief Ombudsman Madeleine Nirere told lawmakers during the presentation. Complaints concerning court judgments that had not been enforced ranked second, with 88 cases, followed by 83 complaints from people dissatisfied with court decisions. Another 64 complaints concerned compensation for expropriation in the public interest. The figures highlight the range of grievances citizens continue to bring to the Office, including land disputes, dissatisfaction with court outcomes and delays in implementing judgments. ALSO READ: Kigali, Bugesera, Nyagatare, and Musanze top list of land dispute hotspots During the presentation, Nirere discussed why land disputes persist, pointing to conflicts involving residential plots in Kigali and the need to encourage mediation as a way of resolving disagreements before they further strain relationships and add to court backlogs. The Office recorded 3,106 cases during the financial year, comprising 661 written complaints, 1,555 complaints received during district visits and 890 requests to reopen court cases on grounds of injustice. Of the total, 2,212 cases were recorded as resolved, while 388 were being followed up by the relevant institutions. Another 506 remained under analysis by the Office. ALSO READ: City authorities speak out on land expropriation disputes The report also identified outstanding compensation claims linked to infrastructure projects in Ngororero and Nyamasheke districts. In Nyamasheke, 4,731 residents were owed compensation for property damaged during electricity projects in 2025, with claims valued at Rwf1.3 billion. By the time of the report, 1,014 people had received Rwf331.7 million, leaving 3,717 residents with outstanding claims worth Rwf968.6 million. In Ngororero, 5,810 residents across all 13 sectors had suffered property damage during electricity-distribution works. The total assessed value of their claims stood at Rwf1.15 billion. The district reported that 3,389 residents had received Rwf620.4 million, while claims for thousands of others had been submitted to the Rwanda Energy Group for payment or were still being documented. The Office said it would continue receiving and following up on complaints of injustice in the 2026/2027 financial year, alongside efforts to promote mediation and monitor the implementation of its recommendations. During the session, MP Judith Mukarugwiza called for closer cooperation between the Office of the Ombudsman and the National Land Authority to address the high number of land-related complaints. She also urged the Ombudsman to strengthen the screening of cases submitted for review, noting that more than 90 per cent of requests to reopen court cases were rejected, raising concerns about the possible misuse of the right to seek redress and delays in the justice system.
