Africa-Press – Rwanda. Rutsiro District has suspended the issuance of building permits as it awaits the release of its detailed district land use master plan, officials have said.
“At the moment, new permits are not being issued. The reason we suspended the issuance of new building permits is to prevent landowners from constructing in areas designated for other purposes. The issuance of new permits will resume once the new master plan is available,” Dative Kayitesi, Mayor of Rutsiro District, told The New Times.
The district noted that the decision is also aimed at curbing unplanned settlements.
However, officials have assured the public that construction projects with already approved permits will not be affected.
They warned that any illegal structures built without proper authorisation must be demolished by the owners within a day or will be removed by the district at the owner’s expense.
Rutsiro is one of Rwanda’s districts most affected by landslides and flooding, and has long struggled with informal housing developments in high-risk zones.
The district also noted that agricultural zones were increasingly being occupied for residential purposes.
According to the 2022 census, Rutsiro District has a population of 369,180 people.
New land use master plan expected by december
Grace Nishimwe, Director General and Chief Registrar of Land Titles at the National Land Authority, told The New Times that the “Rutsiro District land use plan is currently under development and is expected to be completed by the end of this year.”
The timeline implies that the issuance of new building permits will resume in approximately three months.
Rutsiro is not the only district awaiting a new master plan.
“Burera and Ngororero districts are on the same timeline as Rutsiro. Once completed, all districts will have updated land use plans aligned with the National Land Use and Development Master Plan and Vision 2050,” Nishimwe added.
In February 2025, the Parliamentary Committee on Land, Agriculture, Livestock and Environment reported that comprehensive land use master plans for six districts were scheduled to be completed by the end of 2025.
The land use plans for Nyamasheke, Rutsiro, Ngororero, Nyabihu, Burera, and Nyanza are being developed to reflect each district’s unique needs and challenges.
The plans for Nyamasheke, Nyanza, and Nyabihu have already been completed, followed by those for Burera, Ngororero, and Rutsiro.
These new land use master plans are designed to align with existing and planned initiatives in the districts including infrastructure development, environmental protection, population growth, and community-based projects.
The development of District Land Use Plans is crucial for guiding the sustainable growth of districts. These plans help allocate land for agriculture, housing, infrastructure, and environmental conservation. They are also in line with Rwanda’s new urbanisation policy.
By 2050, Rwanda’s urban population is projected to reach 70 per cent, or approximately 18.5 million people. Rapid urbanisation has brought challenges such as informal settlements, spatial inequality, and environmental degradation — all of which must be addressed to ensure sustainable and inclusive urban development.
The six districts’ land use plans are in addition to those already developed for other districts, following the unveiling of the National Land Use and Development Master Plan in 2020. This national plan covers the period from 2020 to 2050.
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