Africa-Press – Rwanda. Ngoma District Council has approved compensation worth Rwf 114.8 million for 396 residents affected by ongoing road construction projects.
The resolution was passed during an extraordinary council session on August 30, 2025, which also reviewed progress under the district’s 2024–2029 development plan.
The payouts will cover residents impacted by four projects: the Ngoma–Ramiro and Kibaya–Rukira–Nasho roads managed by the Rwanda Transport Development Agency (RTDA), as well as the Nyaruvumu–Gahushyi–Gituku and Vundika–Vivante roads overseen by the district.
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According to the figures approved, residents along the Nyaruvumu–Gahushyi–Gituku road will receive over Rwf 54 million, while others still finalising paperwork for the same project are expected to share Rwf 32.5 million. Compensation for households along the Ngoma–Ramiro road totals Rwf 26.9 million.
Five residents affected by the Vundika–Vivante road will receive slightly over Rwf 1 million, and two others impacted by the Kibaya–Rukira–Nasho road will be paid Rwf 241,759.
Council President Banamwana Bernard said compensation matters will remain a regular item on the council’s agenda.
Ngoma District Council has approved compensation worth Rwf 114.8 million for 396 residents affected by ongoing road infrastructure projects.
“We resolved that every council session must include property-related cases so they can be formally approved,” he said. “Today, we confirmed compensation for residents affected by the Nyaruvumu–Gahushyi–Gituku road.”
Despite the resolution, several residents voiced frustration over delays in receiving their payments.
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“We submitted our documents at the start of 2023, but we are still waiting. We keep checking with SACCO and the bank, but the money has not yet arrived. We ask the authorities to speed up the process,” one resident said.
Another added: “In June, I was asked several times to provide my land documents, ID card and SACCO booklets. I complied, but I have still not been paid. Some neighbours received their money last year, yet I am still waiting.”
The Council’s decision is anchored in Law N° 32/2015, which mandates District Councils to approve resettlement linked to projects of public interest.
Delays in compensation are not unique to Ngoma. In May, the Parliamentary Committee on National Budget flagged 102 unpaid files worth Rwf 48.3 million across different projects. Of these, 74 are linked to RTDA’s Kagitumba–Kayonza–Rusumo and Kibaya–Rukira–Nasho road projects.
Committee Chairperson MP Uwamariya Odette also reported that 133 residents of Gashora Sector in Bugesera District are still awaiting Rwf 225 million in compensation for flood damage during construction of the Kanyonyomba bridge and Ngoma–Ramiro road in 2023.
A further 77 residents are owed arrears amounting to Rwf 47.3 million. Gicumbi District has also cited budget shortfalls as the reason for its own delays.
Officials say the latest approval in Ngoma should ease concerns and pave the way for road projects to continue without disruption.
The Ngoma–Ramiro tarmac road, spanning 52 kilometers, was initially slated for completion in October 2024 at a cost of Rwf 64 billion.
A view of a newly constructed road in Ngoma District. The District Council has approved compensation worth Rwf 114.8 million for 396 residents affected by ongoing road construction projects. Courtesy
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