The Rwandan government has announced plans to relocate over 1 million households to designated areas by 2050. This move is part of the government's National Land Use Plan, which aims to reorganize the country's urban and rural areas. According to the National Land Authority (NLA), about 65% of rural households currently live in designated areas, while the remaining 35% live in non-designated areas.
A recent survey by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) found that there are approximately 3.3 million households in Rwanda, with about 2.3 million living in rural areas. Of these, 850,000 households live in non-designated areas, while 9% live in unplanned settlements and 15% live in scattered or isolated houses. The NLA says that unplanned settlements often lack basic infrastructure and services.
The government plans to reduce the number of unplanned settlements and provide basic infrastructure and services to all households. According to Rutagengwa Alexis, the Director of Land Use Planning at the NLA, the government will implement a gradual approach to relocating households, taking into account the needs and circumstances of each community. He emphasized that the goal is to improve living standards and provide access to basic services.
As part of the National Land Use Plan, the government has identified 3,000 sites for new settlements, which will be equipped with basic infrastructure and services. These sites will be developed in phases, with priority given to areas that are most in need of services. The government aims to provide a more efficient and cost-effective way of delivering services to households.
The relocation process will be gradual, with households being relocated to new areas as they are developed. The government will work with local communities to identify the best approach for each area, taking into account factors such as access to land, infrastructure, and services. Rutagengwa emphasized that the goal is to improve living standards and provide access to basic services, rather than to forcibly relocate households.
The Western Province is one of the areas most affected by unplanned settlements, with over 214,000 households living in non-designated areas. The provincial governor, Jean Bosco Ntibitura, said that the government is working to provide basic infrastructure and services to all households, but that the process will take time. He emphasized that households will not be forcibly relocated, but will be encouraged to move to designated areas as they are developed.
The government has set a target of relocating over 41,000 households to designated areas by 2029. This includes households living in unplanned settlements, areas prone to natural disasters, and areas with inadequate infrastructure. The relocation process is expected to begin in the 2024/25 financial year, as part of the government's efforts to implement the National Land Use Plan.
Key points
- The Rwandan government plans to relocate over 1 million households to designated areas by 2050.
- The relocation process will be gradual, with households being relocated to new areas as they are developed.
- The government aims to provide basic infrastructure and services to all households, and to improve living standards.
