MINISTERIAL ORDER N° 007/25/10/TC OF 28/07/2025 ESTABLISHING LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT MASTER PLAN OF KIREHE DISTRICT

Ingingo ya mbere: Ishyirwaho Article One: Establishment Article premier: Établissement Ingingo ya mbere: Ishyirwaho Article One: Establishment Article premier: Établissement Hashyizweho cy’imikoreshereze by’ubutaka cy’Akarere ka Kirehe. igishushanyo mbonera n’imitunganyirize The land use and development master plan of Kirehe District is established. Il est établit le schéma directeur d’utilisation et d’aménagement des terres du District de Kirehe. Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 3

Ingingo ya 2: Ibigize igishushanyo mbonera Article 2: Composition Article 2: Composition Ingingo ya 2: Ibigize igishushanyo mbonera Article 2: Composition Article 2: Composition Igishushanyo mbonera cy’imikoreshereze n’imitunganyirize by’ubutaka cy’Akarere ka Kirehe, kigizwe n’ibi bikurikira: The District land use and development master plan of Kirehe District is composed of the following: schéma directeur Le et d’aménagement des terres du District de Kirehe est composé de ce qui suit : d’utilisation (a) raporo rusange mbonera n’imitunganyirize cy’Akarere; y’igishushanyo cy’imikoreshereze y’ubutaka (a) the main report of the District land use and development master plan; (a) le rapport général du schéma directeur d’utilisation et d’aménagement des terres du District; (b) amakuru ndangahantu y’igishushanyo (b) zoning plan; (b) le plan de zonage; mbonera; (c) amabwiriza agenga bikorwa ryacyo. ishyirwa mu (c) zoning regulations. (c) le règlement de zonage.

Ingingo ya 3: Itangazwa Article 3: Publication Article 3: Publication Ingingo ya 3: Itangazwa Article 3: Publication Article 3: Publication (1) Raporo rusange y’igishushanyo mbonera cy’imikoreshereze y’ubutaka n’imitunganyirize cy’Akarere ka Kirehe iri ku mugereka w’iri teka. (2) Amakuru ndangahantu y’igishushanyo ka Kirehe mbonera cy’Akarere n’amabwiriza agenga ishyirwa mu bikorwa ryacyo bitangazwa ku rubuga rw’ikoranabuhanga rwagenwe imicungire n’urwego rufite (1) The main report of the land use and development master plan of Kirehe District is annexed to this Order. (1) Le rapport général du schéma directeur d’utilisation et d’aménagement des terres du District de Kirehe est annexé au présent arrêté. (2) The and zoning zoning plan regulations of land use and the development master plan of Kirehe District are published on the website designated by the organ in charge of land use management. du (2) Le plan de zonage et le règlement de zonage directeur d’utilisation et d’aménagement des terres du District de Kirehe sont publiés sur le site web désigné par schéma Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 4 n’imikoreshereze nshingano. by’ubutaka mu

Ingingo ya 4: Igihe igishushanyo mbonera kimara Article 4: Period of validity Article 4: Période de validité Ingingo ya 4: Igihe igishushanyo mbonera kimara Igishushanyo mbonera cy’imikoreshereze n’imitunganyirize by’ubutaka cy’Akarere ka Kirehe gikurikizwa kugeza mu 2050. Article 4: Period of validity Article 4: Période de validité l’organe ayant l’utilisation et la gestion des terres dans ses attributions. The land use and development master plan of Kirehe District is implemented until 2050. schéma directeur Le et d’aménagement des terres du District de Kirehe est mis en œuvre jusqu’en 2050. d’utilisation

Ingingo ya 5: Ivugururwa Article 5: Revision Article 5: Révision Ingingo ya 5: Ivugururwa Article 5: Revision Article 5: Révision (1) Igishushanyo mbonera cy’imikoreshereze n’imitunganyirize by’ubutaka cy’Akarere ka Kirehe gishobora kuvugururwa cyose nyuma y’imyaka icumi cyangwa ikindi gihe bibaye ngombwa uhereye ku munsi gishyiriweho. (1) The land use and development master plan of Kirehe District may be comprehensively reviewed after ten considered years necessary its establishment. or whenever the date of from (2) Ivugururwa ry’igishushanyo mbonera cy’imikoreshereze n’imitunganyirize by’ubutaka cy’Akarere ka Kirehe rishobora kandi gukorwa rireba agace gato ngombwa bitabangamiye iterambere ry’utundi duce kandi hakurikijwe amategeko abigenga. bibaye igihe (2) The revision of land use and development master plan of Kirehe District may also be done on a specific area, when considered necessary, the without development of other in accordance with relevant laws. compromising areas (1) Le schéma directeur d’utilisation et d’aménagement des terres du District de Kirehe peut être entièrement révisé après dix ans ou chaque fois que cela est jugé nécessaire à partir du jour de son établissement. (2) La révision du schéma directeur d’utilisation et d’aménagement des terres du District de Kirehe peut également être effectuée sur une zone spécifique, en cas de besoin, sans compromettre le développement des la autres zones conformément à législation en la matière.

Ingingo ya 6: Ingingo y’ururimi Article 6: Language provision Article 6: Disposition linguistique Ingingo ya 6: Ingingo y’ururimi Article 6: Language provision Article 6: Disposition linguistique Iri teka rw’Ikinyarwanda. ryateguwe mu rurimi This Order was drafted in Ikinyarwanda. Le présent arrêté a été rédigé en Ikinyarwanda. Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 5

Ingingo ya 7: Gutangira gukurikizwa Article 7: Entry into force Article 7: Entrée en vigueur Umugereka: cy’imikoreshereze by’ubutaka cy’Akarere ka Kirehe Igishushanyo mbonera n’imitunganyirize Annex: Land use and development master plan of Kirehe District Annexe: Schéma directeur d’utilisation et d’aménagement des terres du District de Kirehe Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 2 RYA MINISITIRI N° ITEKA 007/25/10/TC RYO KU WA 28/07/2025 RISHYIRAHO IGISHUSHANYO MBONERA CY’IMIKORESHEREZE N’IMITUNGANYIRIZE BY’UBUTAKA CY’AKARERE KA KIREHE MINISTERIAL ORDER N° 007/25/10/TC OF 28/07/2025 ESTABLISHING LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT MASTER PLAN OF KIREHE DISTRICT ARRÊTÉ MINISTÉRIEL N° 007/25/10/TC 28/07/2025 ÉTABLISSANT LE DU DIRECTEUR SCHEMA D’UTILISATION ET D’AMÉNAGEMENT DES TERRES DU DISTRICT DE KIREHE Minisitiri w’Imari n’Igenamigambi; The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning; Le Ministre des Finances et de Planification Économique; la Ashingiye ku Itegeko Nshinga rya Repubulika y’u Rwanda; Pursuant to the Constitution of the Republic of Rwanda; Vu la Constitution de la République du Rwanda ; Ashingiye ku Itegeko n° 27/2021 ryo ku wa 10/06/2021 rigenga ubutaka, cyane cyane mu ngingo yaryo ya 59; kemezwa n’Inama Njyanama Bimaze y’Akarere ka Kirehe yateranye ku wa 30/06/2023; Pursuant to Law no 27/2021 of 10/06/2021 governing land, especially in Article 59; Vu la Loi nº 27/2021 du 10/06/2021 portant régime foncier, spécialement en son article 59; After approval by the Council of Kirehe District, in its meeting of 30/06/2023; Après adoption par le Conseil du District de Kirehe, en sa réunion du 30/06/2023; Inama y’Abaminisitiri yateranye ku wa 22/05/2024 imaze kubisuzuma no kubyemeza; After consideration and approval by the Cabinet, in its meeting of 22/05/2024; Après examen et adoption par le Conseil des Ministres, en sa séance du 22/05/2024; ATEGETSE: ORDERS: ARRÊTE: Ingingo ya 7: Gutangira gukurikizwa Article 7: Entry into force Article 7: Entrée en vigueur Iri teka ritangira gukurikizwa ku munsi Igazeti ya Leta ya ritangarijweho mu Repubulika y’u Rwanda. Agaciro karyo gahera ku wa 30/06/2023. This Order comes into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Rwanda. It takes effect as of 30/06/2023. Le présent arrêté entre en vigueur le jour de sa la publication au République du Rwanda. Il prend ses effets à partir du 30/06/2023. Journal Officiel de Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 6 Kigali, 28/07/2025 (sé) MURANGWA Yusuf Minisitiri w’Imari n’Igenamigambi Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Ministre des Finances et de la Planification Économique Bibonywe kandi bishyizweho Ikirango cya Repubulika: Seen and sealed with the Seal of the Republic: Vu et scellé du Sceau de la République : (sé) Dr UGIRASHEBUJA Emmanuel Minisitiri w’Ubutabera akaba n’Intumwa Nkuru ya Leta Minister of Justice and Attorney General Ministre de la Justice et Garde des Sceaux Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 7 28/07/2025 W’ITEKA UMUGEREKA RYA MINISITIRI N° 007/25/10/TC RYO KU RISHYIRAHO WA MBONERA IGISHUSHANYO CY’IMIKORESHEREZE N’IMITUNGANYIRIZE BY’UBUTAKA CY’AKARERE KA KIREHE ANNEX TO MINISTERIAL ORDER N° 007/25/10/TC 28/07/2025 ESTABLISHING LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT MASTER PLAN OF KIREHE DISTRICT OF ANNEXE À L’ARRÊTÉ MINISTÉRIEL N° 007/25/10/TC DU 28/07/2025 ÉTABLISSANT LE DIRECTEUR D’UTILISATION ET D’AMÉNAGEMENT DES TERRES DU DISTRICT DE KIREHE SCHÉMA IGISHUSHANYO CY’IMIKORESHEREZE N’IMITUNGANYIRIZE BY’UBUTAKA CY’AKARERE KA KIREHE MBONERA LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT PLAN OF KIREHE MASTER DISTRICT SCHÉMA DIRECTEUR D’UTILISATION ET D’AMÉNAGEMENT DES TERRES DU DISTRICT DE KIREHE Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 8 Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 1 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 9 Report Title Project title Owner Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023 – 2050 Kirehe District Land Use Plan Report Kirehe District District Council Approval 30th June, 2023 Cabinet Approval 22nd May 2024 Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 1 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 10 TABLE OF CONTENTS CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................................................................... 2 LIST OF MAPS ..................................................................................................................................................... 5 LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................................................. 8 LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................................................. 11 LIST OF ACRONYMS ........................................................................................................................................... 14 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................................... 16 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 1 1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................... 2 1.1 1.1 BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................................................. 2 OBJECTIVE AND SCOPE .................................................................................................................................. 3 1.1.1 Objective ............................................................................................................................................. 3 1.1.2 Scope .................................................................................................................................................. 4 2.1 KIREHE DISTRICT DESCRIPTION ........................................................................................................................ 4 1.2.1 1.2.2 1.2.3 1.2.4 1.2.5 1.2.6 1.2.7 1.2.8 Geographical Location of Kirehe District ............................................................................................ 4 Hydrography ....................................................................................................................................... 5 Relief, Soil and Erosion ....................................................................................................................... 6 Topography of the area ...................................................................................................................... 7 Climate ............................................................................................................................................... 8 Flora and Fauna ................................................................................................................................ 10 Kirehe District existing land use/land cover ..................................................................................... 10 Spatial SWOT Analysis ...................................................................................................................... 11 REGULATORY AND POLICY FRAMEWORK .......................................................................................................... 14 2. POLICY AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK ................................................................................................. 15 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 POLICIES ................................................................................................................................................... 15 LAWS AND REGULATIONS ............................................................................................................................. 15 SECTORAL PLANS ....................................................................................................................................... 16 GUIDELINES .............................................................................................................................................. 17 CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................................................... 18 3. METHODOLOGY ....................................................................................................................................... 19 3.1 3.2 DLUP PLANNING PROCESS .......................................................................................................................... 19 CONSULTATION MEETINGS ........................................................................................................................... 19 Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 2 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 11 3.2.1 3.2.2 3.2.3 Consultation with Local people ........................................................................................................ 20 Consultation at Sector and District Level .......................................................................................... 21 Consultation with National Stakeholders ......................................................................................... 22 3.3 DATA COLLECTION...................................................................................................................................... 23 3.3.1 3.3.2 Spatial Data Collection ..................................................................................................................... 23 Non-Spatial Data Collection ............................................................................................................. 26 3.4 DATA ANALYSIS ......................................................................................................................................... 27 CHAPTER FOUR: LAND USE PLANNING PROPOSALS ........................................................................................... 29 4. KIREHE DISTRICT LAND USE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT PLANNING .................................................. 30 4.1 VISIONING AND ECONOMIC SPECIALIZATION OF KIREHE DISTRICT ......................................................................... 30 4.1.1 4.1.2 4.1.3 Vision of Kirehe District .................................................................................................................... 30 District Spatial Planning Strategies .................................................................................................. 30 Kirehe District Economic Specialization ............................................................................................ 33 4.2 POPULATION, URBANIZATION, SETTLEMENT AND HOUSING (PUSH) ................................................... 38 4.2.1 4.2.2 4.2.3 4.2.4 4.2.5 4.2.6 Existing population in Kirehe District ................................................................................................ 38 Projected population in Kirehe District ............................................................................................. 40 Urbanization, Settlement and Housing ............................................................................................ 42 Housing ............................................................................................................................................. 81 Urban design .................................................................................................................................... 91 Perspectives for Green Urbanization and Green Growth in Kirehe Secondary City .......................... 95 4.3 TRANSPORTATION PLAN IN KIREHE DISTRICT.................................................................................................... 96 4.3.1 4.3.2 4.3.3 Existing situation .............................................................................................................................. 97 Kirehe proposed transportation infrastructures ............................................................................. 102 Transportation Infrastructure by 2050 ........................................................................................... 102 4.4 PUBLIC FACILITIES AND SERVICES .................................................................................................................. 105 4.4.1 4.4.2 Education ........................................................................................................................................ 105 Healthcare Services ........................................................................................................................ 109 4.5 PUBLIC UTILITIES ...................................................................................................................................... 111 4.5.1 Energy ............................................................................................................................................. 111 4.5.2 Water and Sanitation ..................................................................................................................... 116 4.5.3 Settlements, Public Administration and Infrastructures Security guidelines .................................. 117 4.6 AGRICULTURE, LIVESTOCK AND PISCICULTURE ................................................................................................ 118 4.6.1 4.6.2 Agriculture ...................................................................................................................................... 118 Livestock ......................................................................................................................................... 125 4.7 ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES ................................................................................................ 127 4.7.1 Forestry ........................................................................................................................................... 128 4.7.2 Wetlands ........................................................................................................................................ 132 4.7.3 Water bodies .................................................................................................................................. 136 Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 3 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 12 4.7.4 Mining ............................................................................................................................................ 139 4.7.5 Green Urbanization ........................................................................................................................ 142 4.7.6 Waste Management ....................................................................................................................... 143 4.7.7 Stormwater Management .............................................................................................................. 146 4.8 TOURISM AND CONSERVATION ................................................................................................................... 151 4.8.1 4.8.2 Tourism Development for Kirehe District........................................................................................ 152 Planned tourism zones in Kirehe DLUP ........................................................................................... 153 4.9 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ................................................................................................................. 156 4.9.1 4.9.2 4.9.3 4.9.4 National Context on Economic Development ................................................................................. 156 Employment situation in Kirehe District ......................................................................................... 156 Trade and Logistics in Kirehe .......................................................................................................... 160 Industrialization .............................................................................................................................. 163 4.10 KIREHE DISTRICT LAND USE BALANCE SHEET ....................................................................................... 164 4.10.1 4.10.2 4.10.3 Kirehe District Land Use Balance Sheet ..................................................................................... 165 Existing Land Use Balance Sheet ............................................................................................... 165 Proposed Land Use Balance Sheet ............................................................................................. 166 CHAPTER FIVE: IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES............................................................................................... 169 5. IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES .............................................................................................................. 170 5.1 5.2 5.2.1 5.2.2 5.2.3 LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK ...................................................................................................... 170 KIREHE DLUP IMPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORK .............................................................................................. 172 Kirehe DLUP Spatial Phasing Plan by Horizon of the Year 2050 ..................................................... 172 Kirehe Capital & Catalytic Improvement Projects........................................................................... 174 Participatory Land Readjustment Approach and Detailed Physical Plans ...................................... 178 5.2.4 Other Recommendations for Implementation of DLUP .................................................................. 178 6. 7. COMPLIANCE AND MONITORING ........................................................................................................... 180 ZONING PLAN AND REGULATIONS ......................................................................................................... 181 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 OBJECTIVE OF THE ZONING PLAN AND REGULATIONS ...................................................................................... 181 PURPOSE OF THE ZONING REGULATIONS ....................................................................................................... 181 ZONING MAP & INTERPRETATION ............................................................................................................... 181 ZONING PLAN .......................................................................................................................................... 181 DLUP ZONING MAP ................................................................................................................................. 183 PRINCIPLES GUIDING THE ZONING REQUIREMENTS IN CITIES / URBAN AREAS ........................................................ 183 8. KIREHE DLUP MONITORING AND EVALUATION ...................................................................................... 187 REFERENCES .................................................................................................................................................... 188 Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 4 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 13 LIST OF MAPS CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................................................................... 2 LIST OF MAPS ..................................................................................................................................................... 5 LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................................................. 8 LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................................................. 11 LIST OF ACRONYMS ........................................................................................................................................... 14 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................................... 16 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 1 1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................... 2 1.1 1.1 BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................................................. 2 OBJECTIVE AND SCOPE .................................................................................................................................. 3 1.1.1 Objective ............................................................................................................................................. 3 1.1.2 Scope .................................................................................................................................................. 4 2.1 KIREHE DISTRICT DESCRIPTION ........................................................................................................................ 4 1.2.1 1.2.2 1.2.3 1.2.4 1.2.5 1.2.6 1.2.7 1.2.8 Geographical Location of Kirehe District ............................................................................................ 4 Hydrography ....................................................................................................................................... 5 Relief, Soil and Erosion ....................................................................................................................... 6 Topography of the area ...................................................................................................................... 7 Climate ............................................................................................................................................... 8 Flora and Fauna ................................................................................................................................ 10 Kirehe District existing land use/land cover ..................................................................................... 10 Spatial SWOT Analysis ...................................................................................................................... 11 REGULATORY AND POLICY FRAMEWORK .......................................................................................................... 14 2. POLICY AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK ................................................................................................. 15 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 POLICIES ................................................................................................................................................... 15 LAWS AND REGULATIONS ............................................................................................................................. 15 SECTORAL PLANS ....................................................................................................................................... 16 GUIDELINES .............................................................................................................................................. 17 CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................................................... 18 3. METHODOLOGY ....................................................................................................................................... 19 3.1 3.2 DLUP PLANNING PROCESS .......................................................................................................................... 19 CONSULTATION MEETINGS ........................................................................................................................... 19 Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 5 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 14 3.2.1 3.2.2 3.2.3 Consultation with Local people ........................................................................................................ 20 Consultation at Sector and District Level .......................................................................................... 21 Consultation with National Stakeholders ......................................................................................... 22 3.3 DATA COLLECTION...................................................................................................................................... 23 3.3.1 3.3.2 Spatial Data Collection ..................................................................................................................... 23 Non-Spatial Data Collection ............................................................................................................. 26 3.4 DATA ANALYSIS ......................................................................................................................................... 27 CHAPTER FOUR: LAND USE PLANNING PROPOSALS ........................................................................................... 29 4. KIREHE DISTRICT LAND USE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT PLANNING .................................................. 30 4.1 VISIONING AND ECONOMIC SPECIALIZATION OF KIREHE DISTRICT ......................................................................... 30 4.1.1 4.1.2 4.1.3 Vision of Kirehe District .................................................................................................................... 30 District Spatial Planning Strategies .................................................................................................. 30 Kirehe District Economic Specialization ............................................................................................ 33 4.2 POPULATION, URBANIZATION, SETTLEMENT AND HOUSING (PUSH) ................................................... 38 4.2.1 4.2.2 4.2.3 4.2.4 4.2.5 4.2.6 Existing population in Kirehe District ................................................................................................ 38 Projected population in Kirehe District ............................................................................................. 40 Urbanization, Settlement and Housing ............................................................................................ 42 Housing ............................................................................................................................................. 81 Urban design .................................................................................................................................... 91 Perspectives for Green Urbanization and Green Growth in Kirehe Secondary City .......................... 95 4.3 TRANSPORTATION PLAN IN KIREHE DISTRICT.................................................................................................... 96 4.3.1 4.3.2 4.3.3 Existing situation .............................................................................................................................. 97 Kirehe proposed transportation infrastructures ............................................................................. 102 Transportation Infrastructure by 2050 ........................................................................................... 102 4.4 PUBLIC FACILITIES AND SERVICES .................................................................................................................. 105 4.4.1 4.4.2 Education ........................................................................................................................................ 105 Healthcare Services ........................................................................................................................ 109 4.5 PUBLIC UTILITIES ...................................................................................................................................... 111 4.5.1 Energy ............................................................................................................................................. 111 4.5.2 Water and Sanitation ..................................................................................................................... 116 4.5.3 Settlements, Public Administration and Infrastructures Security guidelines .................................. 117 4.6 AGRICULTURE, LIVESTOCK AND PISCICULTURE ................................................................................................ 118 4.6.1 4.6.2 Agriculture ...................................................................................................................................... 118 Livestock ......................................................................................................................................... 125 4.7 ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES ................................................................................................ 127 4.7.1 Forestry ........................................................................................................................................... 128 4.7.2 Wetlands ........................................................................................................................................ 132 4.7.3 Water bodies .................................................................................................................................. 136 Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 6 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 15 4.7.4 Mining ............................................................................................................................................ 139 4.7.5 Green Urbanization ........................................................................................................................ 142 4.7.6 Waste Management ....................................................................................................................... 143 4.7.7 Stormwater Management .............................................................................................................. 146 4.8 TOURISM AND CONSERVATION ................................................................................................................... 151 4.8.1 4.8.2 Tourism Development for Kirehe District........................................................................................ 152 Planned tourism zones in Kirehe DLUP ........................................................................................... 153 4.9 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ................................................................................................................. 156 4.9.1 4.9.2 4.9.3 4.9.4 National Context on Economic Development ................................................................................. 156 Employment situation in Kirehe District ......................................................................................... 156 Trade and Logistics in Kirehe .......................................................................................................... 160 Industrialization .............................................................................................................................. 163 4.10 KIREHE DISTRICT LAND USE BALANCE SHEET ....................................................................................... 164 4.10.1 4.10.2 4.10.3 Kirehe District Land Use Balance Sheet ..................................................................................... 165 Existing Land Use Balance Sheet ............................................................................................... 165 Proposed Land Use Balance Sheet ............................................................................................. 166 CHAPTER FIVE: IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES............................................................................................... 169 5. IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES .............................................................................................................. 170 5.1 5.2 5.2.1 5.2.2 5.2.3 LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK ...................................................................................................... 170 KIREHE DLUP IMPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORK .............................................................................................. 172 Kirehe DLUP Spatial Phasing Plan by Horizon of the Year 2050 ..................................................... 172 Kirehe Capital & Catalytic Improvement Projects........................................................................... 174 Participatory Land Readjustment Approach and Detailed Physical Plans ...................................... 178 5.2.4 Other Recommendations for Implementation of DLUP .................................................................. 178 6. 7. COMPLIANCE AND MONITORING ........................................................................................................... 180 ZONING PLAN AND REGULATIONS ......................................................................................................... 181 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 OBJECTIVE OF THE ZONING PLAN AND REGULATIONS ...................................................................................... 181 PURPOSE OF THE ZONING REGULATIONS ....................................................................................................... 181 ZONING MAP & INTERPRETATION ............................................................................................................... 181 ZONING PLAN .......................................................................................................................................... 181 DLUP ZONING MAP ................................................................................................................................. 183 PRINCIPLES GUIDING THE ZONING REQUIREMENTS IN CITIES / URBAN AREAS ........................................................ 183 8. KIREHE DLUP MONITORING AND EVALUATION ...................................................................................... 187 REFERENCES .................................................................................................................................................... 188 Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 7 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 16 LIST OF FIGURES CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................................................................... 2 LIST OF MAPS ..................................................................................................................................................... 5 LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................................................. 8 LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................................................. 11 LIST OF ACRONYMS ........................................................................................................................................... 14 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................................... 16 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 1 1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................... 2 1.1 1.1 BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................................................. 2 OBJECTIVE AND SCOPE .................................................................................................................................. 3 1.1.1 Objective ............................................................................................................................................. 3 1.1.2 Scope .................................................................................................................................................. 4 2.1 KIREHE DISTRICT DESCRIPTION ........................................................................................................................ 4 1.2.1 1.2.2 1.2.3 1.2.4 1.2.5 1.2.6 1.2.7 1.2.8 Geographical Location of Kirehe District ............................................................................................ 4 Hydrography ....................................................................................................................................... 5 Relief, Soil and Erosion ....................................................................................................................... 6 Topography of the area ...................................................................................................................... 7 Climate ............................................................................................................................................... 8 Flora and Fauna ................................................................................................................................ 10 Kirehe District existing land use/land cover ..................................................................................... 10 Spatial SWOT Analysis ...................................................................................................................... 11 REGULATORY AND POLICY FRAMEWORK .......................................................................................................... 14 2. POLICY AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK ................................................................................................. 15 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 POLICIES ................................................................................................................................................... 15 LAWS AND REGULATIONS ............................................................................................................................. 15 SECTORAL PLANS ....................................................................................................................................... 16 GUIDELINES .............................................................................................................................................. 17 CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................................................... 18 3. METHODOLOGY ....................................................................................................................................... 19 3.1 3.2 DLUP PLANNING PROCESS .......................................................................................................................... 19 CONSULTATION MEETINGS ........................................................................................................................... 19 Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 8 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 17 3.2.1 3.2.2 3.2.3 Consultation with Local people ........................................................................................................ 20 Consultation at Sector and District Level .......................................................................................... 21 Consultation with National Stakeholders ......................................................................................... 22 3.3 DATA COLLECTION...................................................................................................................................... 23 3.3.1 3.3.2 Spatial Data Collection ..................................................................................................................... 23 Non-Spatial Data Collection ............................................................................................................. 26 3.4 DATA ANALYSIS ......................................................................................................................................... 27 CHAPTER FOUR: LAND USE PLANNING PROPOSALS ........................................................................................... 29 4. KIREHE DISTRICT LAND USE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT PLANNING .................................................. 30 4.1 VISIONING AND ECONOMIC SPECIALIZATION OF KIREHE DISTRICT ......................................................................... 30 4.1.1 4.1.2 4.1.3 Vision of Kirehe District .................................................................................................................... 30 District Spatial Planning Strategies .................................................................................................. 30 Kirehe District Economic Specialization ............................................................................................ 33 4.2 POPULATION, URBANIZATION, SETTLEMENT AND HOUSING (PUSH) ................................................... 38 4.2.1 4.2.2 4.2.3 4.2.4 4.2.5 4.2.6 Existing population in Kirehe District ................................................................................................ 38 Projected population in Kirehe District ............................................................................................. 40 Urbanization, Settlement and Housing ............................................................................................ 42 Housing ............................................................................................................................................. 81 Urban design .................................................................................................................................... 91 Perspectives for Green Urbanization and Green Growth in Kirehe Secondary City .......................... 95 4.3 TRANSPORTATION PLAN IN KIREHE DISTRICT.................................................................................................... 96 4.3.1 4.3.2 4.3.3 Existing situation .............................................................................................................................. 97 Kirehe proposed transportation infrastructures ............................................................................. 102 Transportation Infrastructure by 2050 ........................................................................................... 102 4.4 PUBLIC FACILITIES AND SERVICES .................................................................................................................. 105 4.4.1 4.4.2 Education ........................................................................................................................................ 105 Healthcare Services ........................................................................................................................ 109 4.5 PUBLIC UTILITIES ...................................................................................................................................... 111 4.5.1 Energy ............................................................................................................................................. 111 4.5.2 Water and Sanitation ..................................................................................................................... 116 4.5.3 Settlements, Public Administration and Infrastructures Security guidelines .................................. 117 4.6 AGRICULTURE, LIVESTOCK AND PISCICULTURE ................................................................................................ 118 4.6.1 4.6.2 Agriculture ...................................................................................................................................... 118 Livestock ......................................................................................................................................... 125 4.7 ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES ................................................................................................ 127 4.7.1 Forestry ........................................................................................................................................... 128 4.7.2 Wetlands ........................................................................................................................................ 132 4.7.3 Water bodies .................................................................................................................................. 136 Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 9 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 18 4.7.4 Mining ............................................................................................................................................ 139 4.7.5 Green Urbanization ........................................................................................................................ 142 4.7.6 Waste Management ....................................................................................................................... 143 4.7.7 Stormwater Management .............................................................................................................. 146 4.8 TOURISM AND CONSERVATION ................................................................................................................... 151 4.8.1 4.8.2 Tourism Development for Kirehe District........................................................................................ 152 Planned tourism zones in Kirehe DLUP ........................................................................................... 153 4.9 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ................................................................................................................. 156 4.9.1 4.9.2 4.9.3 4.9.4 National Context on Economic Development ................................................................................. 156 Employment situation in Kirehe District ......................................................................................... 156 Trade and Logistics in Kirehe .......................................................................................................... 160 Industrialization .............................................................................................................................. 163 4.10 KIREHE DISTRICT LAND USE BALANCE SHEET ....................................................................................... 164 4.10.1 4.10.2 4.10.3 Kirehe District Land Use Balance Sheet ..................................................................................... 165 Existing Land Use Balance Sheet ............................................................................................... 165 Proposed Land Use Balance Sheet ............................................................................................. 166 CHAPTER FIVE: IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES............................................................................................... 169 5. IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES .............................................................................................................. 170 5.1 5.2 5.2.1 5.2.2 5.2.3 LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK ...................................................................................................... 170 KIREHE DLUP IMPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORK .............................................................................................. 172 Kirehe DLUP Spatial Phasing Plan by Horizon of the Year 2050 ..................................................... 172 Kirehe Capital & Catalytic Improvement Projects........................................................................... 174 Participatory Land Readjustment Approach and Detailed Physical Plans ...................................... 178 5.2.4 Other Recommendations for Implementation of DLUP .................................................................. 178 6. 7. COMPLIANCE AND MONITORING ........................................................................................................... 180 ZONING PLAN AND REGULATIONS ......................................................................................................... 181 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 OBJECTIVE OF THE ZONING PLAN AND REGULATIONS ...................................................................................... 181 PURPOSE OF THE ZONING REGULATIONS ....................................................................................................... 181 ZONING MAP & INTERPRETATION ............................................................................................................... 181 ZONING PLAN .......................................................................................................................................... 181 DLUP ZONING MAP ................................................................................................................................. 183 PRINCIPLES GUIDING THE ZONING REQUIREMENTS IN CITIES / URBAN AREAS ........................................................ 183 8. KIREHE DLUP MONITORING AND EVALUATION ...................................................................................... 187 REFERENCES .................................................................................................................................................... 188 Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 10 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 19 LIST OF TABLES CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................................................................... 2 LIST OF MAPS ..................................................................................................................................................... 5 LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................................................. 8 LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................................................. 11 LIST OF ACRONYMS ........................................................................................................................................... 14 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................................... 16 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 1 1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................... 2 1.1 1.1 BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................................................. 2 OBJECTIVE AND SCOPE .................................................................................................................................. 3 1.1.1 Objective ............................................................................................................................................. 3 1.1.2 Scope .................................................................................................................................................. 4 2.1 KIREHE DISTRICT DESCRIPTION ........................................................................................................................ 4 1.2.1 1.2.2 1.2.3 1.2.4 1.2.5 1.2.6 1.2.7 1.2.8 Geographical Location of Kirehe District ............................................................................................ 4 Hydrography ....................................................................................................................................... 5 Relief, Soil and Erosion ....................................................................................................................... 6 Topography of the area ...................................................................................................................... 7 Climate ............................................................................................................................................... 8 Flora and Fauna ................................................................................................................................ 10 Kirehe District existing land use/land cover ..................................................................................... 10 Spatial SWOT Analysis ...................................................................................................................... 11 REGULATORY AND POLICY FRAMEWORK .......................................................................................................... 14 2. POLICY AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK ................................................................................................. 15 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 POLICIES ................................................................................................................................................... 15 LAWS AND REGULATIONS ............................................................................................................................. 15 SECTORAL PLANS ....................................................................................................................................... 16 GUIDELINES .............................................................................................................................................. 17 CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................................................... 18 3. METHODOLOGY ....................................................................................................................................... 19 3.1 3.2 DLUP PLANNING PROCESS .......................................................................................................................... 19 CONSULTATION MEETINGS ........................................................................................................................... 19 Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 11 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 20 3.2.1 3.2.2 3.2.3 Consultation with Local people ........................................................................................................ 20 Consultation at Sector and District Level .......................................................................................... 21 Consultation with National Stakeholders ......................................................................................... 22 3.3 DATA COLLECTION...................................................................................................................................... 23 3.3.1 3.3.2 Spatial Data Collection ..................................................................................................................... 23 Non-Spatial Data Collection ............................................................................................................. 26 3.4 DATA ANALYSIS ......................................................................................................................................... 27 CHAPTER FOUR: LAND USE PLANNING PROPOSALS ........................................................................................... 29 4. KIREHE DISTRICT LAND USE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT PLANNING .................................................. 30 4.1 VISIONING AND ECONOMIC SPECIALIZATION OF KIREHE DISTRICT ......................................................................... 30 4.1.1 4.1.2 4.1.3 Vision of Kirehe District .................................................................................................................... 30 District Spatial Planning Strategies .................................................................................................. 30 Kirehe District Economic Specialization ............................................................................................ 33 4.2 POPULATION, URBANIZATION, SETTLEMENT AND HOUSING (PUSH) ................................................... 38 4.2.1 4.2.2 4.2.3 4.2.4 4.2.5 4.2.6 Existing population in Kirehe District ................................................................................................ 38 Projected population in Kirehe District ............................................................................................. 40 Urbanization, Settlement and Housing ............................................................................................ 42 Housing ............................................................................................................................................. 81 Urban design .................................................................................................................................... 91 Perspectives for Green Urbanization and Green Growth in Kirehe Secondary City .......................... 95 4.3 TRANSPORTATION PLAN IN KIREHE DISTRICT.................................................................................................... 96 4.3.1 4.3.2 4.3.3 Existing situation .............................................................................................................................. 97 Kirehe proposed transportation infrastructures ............................................................................. 102 Transportation Infrastructure by 2050 ........................................................................................... 102 4.4 PUBLIC FACILITIES AND SERVICES .................................................................................................................. 105 4.4.1 4.4.2 Education ........................................................................................................................................ 105 Healthcare Services ........................................................................................................................ 109 4.5 PUBLIC UTILITIES ...................................................................................................................................... 111 4.5.1 Energy ............................................................................................................................................. 111 4.5.2 Water and Sanitation ..................................................................................................................... 116 4.5.3 Settlements, Public Administration and Infrastructures Security guidelines .................................. 117 4.6 AGRICULTURE, LIVESTOCK AND PISCICULTURE ................................................................................................ 118 4.6.1 4.6.2 Agriculture ...................................................................................................................................... 118 Livestock ......................................................................................................................................... 125 4.7 ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES ................................................................................................ 127 4.7.1 Forestry ........................................................................................................................................... 128 4.7.2 Wetlands ........................................................................................................................................ 132 4.7.3 Water bodies .................................................................................................................................. 136 Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 12 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 21 4.7.4 Mining ............................................................................................................................................ 139 4.7.5 Green Urbanization ........................................................................................................................ 142 4.7.6 Waste Management ....................................................................................................................... 143 4.7.7 Stormwater Management .............................................................................................................. 146 4.8 TOURISM AND CONSERVATION ................................................................................................................... 151 4.8.1 4.8.2 Tourism Development for Kirehe District........................................................................................ 152 Planned tourism zones in Kirehe DLUP ........................................................................................... 153 4.9 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ................................................................................................................. 156 4.9.1 4.9.2 4.9.3 4.9.4 National Context on Economic Development ................................................................................. 156 Employment situation in Kirehe District ......................................................................................... 156 Trade and Logistics in Kirehe .......................................................................................................... 160 Industrialization .............................................................................................................................. 163 4.10 KIREHE DISTRICT LAND USE BALANCE SHEET ....................................................................................... 164 4.10.1 4.10.2 4.10.3 Kirehe District Land Use Balance Sheet ..................................................................................... 165 Existing Land Use Balance Sheet ............................................................................................... 165 Proposed Land Use Balance Sheet ............................................................................................. 166 CHAPTER FIVE: IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES............................................................................................... 169 5. IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES .............................................................................................................. 170 5.1 5.2 5.2.1 5.2.2 5.2.3 LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK ...................................................................................................... 170 KIREHE DLUP IMPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORK .............................................................................................. 172 Kirehe DLUP Spatial Phasing Plan by Horizon of the Year 2050 ..................................................... 172 Kirehe Capital & Catalytic Improvement Projects........................................................................... 174 Participatory Land Readjustment Approach and Detailed Physical Plans ...................................... 178 5.2.4 Other Recommendations for Implementation of DLUP .................................................................. 178 6. 7. COMPLIANCE AND MONITORING ........................................................................................................... 180 ZONING PLAN AND REGULATIONS ......................................................................................................... 181 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 OBJECTIVE OF THE ZONING PLAN AND REGULATIONS ...................................................................................... 181 PURPOSE OF THE ZONING REGULATIONS ....................................................................................................... 181 ZONING MAP & INTERPRETATION ............................................................................................................... 181 ZONING PLAN .......................................................................................................................................... 181 DLUP ZONING MAP ................................................................................................................................. 183 PRINCIPLES GUIDING THE ZONING REQUIREMENTS IN CITIES / URBAN AREAS ........................................................ 183 8. KIREHE DLUP MONITORING AND EVALUATION ...................................................................................... 187 REFERENCES .................................................................................................................................................... 188 Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 13 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 22 LIST OF ACRONYMS BPMIS: Building Permitting Management Information system BRT: Bus Rapid Transit CCP: Continuous Compliant Planning (CCP) DDS: District Development Strategy DHS: Demographic and Health Survey, DLUP: District Land Use Plan DU: Dwelling Unit EDPRS: Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy EIA: Environmental Impact Assessment ENR: Environment and natural resources GDP: Gross Domestic Product GGCRS: Green Growth and Climate Resilient Strategy GGGI: Global Green Growth Institute GIS: Geographic Information System GoR: Government of Rwanda GPS: Geographic Positioning System HH: House Hold HIC: Higher Income Country ICT: Information Communication and Technology IDP: Integrated Development Programme LED: Local Economic Development LUCA: Land Use Category LUDP: Local Urban Development Plan MCC: Milk Collection Center NLA: National Land Authority NLUDMP: National Land Use and Development Master Plan NSTI: National Strategy for Transformation PHC: Rwanda Population and Housing Census PUSH: Population, Urbanization, Settlement and Housing RAB: Rwanda Agriculture Board RDB: Rwanda Development Board REMA: Rwanda Environment Management Authority RTDA: Rwanda Transport Development Agency Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 14 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 23 RPHC: Rwandan Population and Housing Census RHA: Rwanda Housing Authority SDGs: Sustainable Development Goals SME: Small and Medium Enterprise SUDS: Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems TTC: Teacher Training College TVET: Technical and Vocational Education and Training UMIC: Upper Middle-Income Country UR: University of Rwanda WASAC: Water and Sanitation Corporation Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 15 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 24 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Kirehe District is one of the seven districts forming the Eastern Province, namely Ngoma, Kayonza, Rwamagana, Bugesera, Gatsibo and Nyagatare Districts. It is made up of 12 Administrative Sectors, 60 cells and 612 administrative Villages. The District is strategically located at the border to the Republic of Tanzania, through Rusumo International Border accommodating “the Cross Border Businesses” due to the Dar es Salaam Maritime Port on the Indian Ocean. The District Land Use Plan Cluster determines the allocation of land for the entire District land area in both urban and rural areas, taking into account the accumulation of all thematic areas to manage the effective use of resources and guide future development. Kirehe DLUP was elaborated through a bottom-up participatory approach from August 2022, approved at first stage by the District Council on 30th June 2023, and approved by the Cabinet on 11th September 2023. The DLUP guides land use and development in the District, and supports the implementation of the National Land Use Development Master Plan (NLUDMP) 2020-2050. As per the NLUDMP 2020.2050, Kirehe District is classified as a Secondary City to support the urbanization trends of the country. Kirehe DLUP includes land use plans for the urban areas of Kirehe Secondary City / the Core Urban Center, the three Rurban Centers of Rusumo-Kiyanzi, Nasho and Gahara-Dagaza, and rural areas comprising the entire Imidugudu complex covering 110 rural settlement sites, agricultural areas, forests and infrastructures in the District. The development of Kirehe DLUP was framed by several laws, strategies, policies, guidelines and directive documents. Various stakeholders were consulted, including institutions at national level, local authorities and communities, as well as non-governmental groups, to ensure that the plan is inclusive of their participation. In addition to consultation sessions, both spatial and statistical data were collected and analyzed in the field to produce a spatial map of the existing land use and development plan (proposals) of the District. Kirehe DLUP covers eight thematic areas as indicated by NLUDMP 2020-2050: (i) PUSH stands for Population, Urbanization, Settlement and Housing; (ii) Transportation; (iii) Public Facilities and Services; (iv) Public Utilities; (v) Agriculture and Livestock; (vi) Environment and Natural Resources; (vii) Tourism and Conservation; and (viii) Economic Development. All these thematic areas were analyzed in the light of the current situation to formulate the planning perspectives. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 16 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 25 Kirehe DLUP was developed taking into account the geographical location, topography, hydrography, soil, vegetation, population and demography as well as the District specialization and economic opportunities for the purposes of linking the planning perspectives with the existing opportunities and strengths considered as enabling factors of the easy and rapid implementation of the proposals. The vision of Kirehe DLUP is “Agribusiness, Cross border trade and Tourism Hub”, due to modernized agriculture based and expanded irrigation schemes around the lakes and marshlands of Kirehe District, which make it a regional and international hub and the existing Rusumo border and planned border posts connecting the District to the Republic of Tanzania and Republic of Burundi respectively. The hydrography of the District consists of the permanent Akagera River and surrounding lakes to enable the effective implementation of hillside irrigation projects, which have been initiated and will continue to be developed in Mahama, Mpanga, and Kigarama Sectors. Out of 1,180.5 km2 of the District surface area, 56.9 % is planned for agriculture including livestock (6%), 16.4% for forests, and 12.3% for settlements including residential, commercial, industrial, public facilities, infrastructures and utilities uses. Of these settlements, industrial parks occupy 60.5 ha ( for light industry) and 62.6 ha for general industry; 330 ha have been allocated for quarrying in Nyarubuye, Nasho and Mushikiri Sectors, identified and proved with much potential while 3.4% have been allocated for transportation and roads infrastructure projects. Four car parks are to be constructed, of which three in the rurban centres, and one at Gatore rural centre and the two railway stations at Rusumo border and in Gahara Sector. 10% is allocated for wetlands to be exploited in a sustainable way through conservation and protection, 3.7% for water bodies and 1.2% for buffer zones which mainly be reserved for afforestation and used in a manner that protects wetlands and water bodies. Kirehe DLUP vision will be achieved and Kirehe District development strategies implemented in line with the national objectives along with implementing the six spatial development strategies, consisting (i) to keep a sustainable agriculture and livestock and develop agro- prepossessing industry, (ii)to develop sustainable cross border trade, logistics along Kigali- Rusumo National Roads, (iii)to develop touristic sites and improve hospitality services, (iv) to keep and conserve natural and environmental resources, (v)to develop sustainable Eastern corridor railway and road connectivity and transportation facilities, and (vi)to keep and develop sustainable residential zones. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 17 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 26 The implementation of Kirehe DLUP will be done in different phases and clusters through the elaboration of Detailed Physical Plans and Land Readjustment Plans by the District under the supervision and technical support of NLA and RHA in the zones to be developed, such as residential zones. Land use planning and zoning regulations will play a vital role in the implementation of the DLUP. The Mid-Term Review by 2035 and regular monitoring and evaluation exercises will be conducted to assess whether implementation is complying with the NLUDMP 2020-2050. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 18 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 27 Chapter One: Introduction Kirehe District Land Use Plan (DLUP: 2023 – 2050) was prepared by a joint team of NLA and District in a participatory and consultative approach with a relevant stakeholder at local and national levels Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 1 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 28 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background Kirehe District is one of seven districts forming the Eastern Province in the Republic of Rwanda. The DLUP determines the allocation of land for the entire District in both urban and rural areas to different uses around diverse thematic areas, in order to manage the effective use of resources and guide future development, as well as to promote positive social, economic and environmental outcomes. Since 2018, the Government of Rwanda has revised and updated the NLUDMP 2010-2020. The newly updated NLUDMP 2020-2050, approved by the Cabinet in July 2020, has the overall objective of finding solutions to identified issues and providing specific guidelines for implementation. In addition, it proposes a national spatial structure to guide the development. All settlements, urban and rural, are part of the national spatial puzzle, including Kigali, Satellite Cities, and Secondary Cities. In accordance with the NLUDMP 2020-2050 directives and recommendations, Kirehe District will shift from a rural District to a Secondary City in 2035. In this regard, its District Land Use Plan was developed on the entire District integrating each economic sectoral plans and strategies, with a spatial dimension and a land allocation requirement for sectoral activities. Following a new concept of District Land Use Plans Cluster. This concept has the advantage of integrated compliance through the simultaneous preparation of the District land use plan, integrating urban land use and rural zoning including the Imidugudu complex, agricultural zones, forests and infrastructure. The product has been a detailed zoning map of the District with zoning regulations, useful for building permit systems and for subsequent detailed local physical planning. Through law enforcement and intelligent permitting services, this type of planning will play an important role in eliminating sprawl, thereby increasing land consolidation. However, it is expected that the Secondary City will gain momentum of spatial expansion and rapid developments of infrastructures in 2035 after benefiting from this rank of secondary city and investments linked to this new status. Thus, it is recommended to update its master plan and strategies and align to all land requirements recommended by the NLUDMP 2020-2050 for the second Midterm 2035-2050. Statutory phasing of the implementation of the District Land Use plan will be mandatory for Kirehe District. The key idea of phasing is tiling, which prevents random or distant development Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 2 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 29 settlements. Each new phase should be geometrically linked to the previous one. A five-year phase is recommended for all District land use plans. It is in this perspective that the preparation of the Kirehe DLUP was undertaken from August 2022. The elaboration of Kirehe DLUP was done within the framework of alignment and compliance with the NLUDMP 2020-2050, Vision 2050, NST1, Sectoral strategic plans and the District Development Strategy (DDS). As a national adopted strategy for all land use plans, Kirehe DLUP is consistent with green principles and climate resilience strategies. Figure 1: Levels and hierarchy of planning process and documents 1.1 Objective and Scope 1.1.1 Objective The District Land Use Plan (DLUP) aims at allocating land to different uses within the District by clustering all thematic areas, so as to manage the efficient use of resources and guide future development in line with the NLUDMP 2020-2050, thereby promoting social, economic and environmental benefits. The District Land Use Plan (DLUP) is a document that outlines the goals, strategies, and actions that a District or local government plans to take in order to manage land use within its jurisdiction. The plan is typically developed by the National Land Authority (NLA) in consultation with the District or local government and other stakeholders such as community, organizations, private sector and government agencies Kirehe DLUP emerged with the 2050 targets to facilitate the implementation of the NLUDMP 2020-2050. The DLUP gives details in terms of land allocation with specifications and potentialities of the District, unlike the NLUDMP which gives general guidelines to facilitate the planning balance of land use at national level. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 3 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 30 1.1.2 Scope The DLUP is focused on the whole District, consisting of both urban and rural components. Kirehe DLUP covers all thematic areas including (i) PUSH, which stands for population, urbanization, settlements and housing; (ii) spatial economy, which stands for employment, manufacturing, mining and industry; (iii) agriculture; (iv) environment and natural resources; (v) tourism and conservation; (vi) transportation; (vii) public facilities and services. Taking all of these coverage areas together, land has been allocated to different uses while zoning to feed each sector depending on its land demands and developing an effective land use balance sheet to guide the way forward to the 2035 view in line with the NLUDMP 2020-2050. 2.1 Kirehe District Description Kirehe is one of the seven districts of the Eastern Province established by the organic law n° 29/2005 of 23/12/2005 on the administrative entities of the Republic of Rwanda. It is subdivided into 12 sectors (Gahara, Gatore, Kigarama, Kigina, Kirehe, Mahama, Mpanga, Musaza, Mushikiri, Nasho, Nyamugali and Nyarubuye), 60 cells and 612 administrative villages. Kirehe District extends over a total area of 1,118.5 km2, with 460,860 inhabitants (52% female and 48% male) according to the Rwanda Census of 2022. Its population density increased to 398 inhabitants/km2 from 287 inhabitants/km2 in 2012. 1.2.1 Geographical Location of Kirehe District Kirehe District borders Tanzania to the east and Burundi to the south, Ngoma District to the south-west and Kayonza District to the north. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 4 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 31 Map 1: Geographical location of Kirehe District 1.2.2 Hydrography Akagera River is the main and principal water course in the District, which surrounds the south- eastern part of the District and continues into Lake Victoria. Kirehe District has the lakes Cyambwe, Rwampanga and Nasho, which are important for fishing and for irrigation systems. Apart from the lakes, Kirehe District has built dykes to support agricultural activities in Kigarama, Kigina, Kirehe, Mushikiri and Nyamugari Sectors. All water bodies are surrounded by either protected and/or unprotected swamps/wetlands. There are two distinct catchment areas in the District. The northeastern part of Kirehe District feeds the Akagera River and water system. The southern part of Kirehe feeds the water system extending into Ngoma District. These natural water systems are important sources for agriculture (irrigation) and for nature conservation (biodiversity). Any interventions or activities upstream will influence the land use and ecosystems downstream, even up to Lake Victoria. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 5 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 32 Map 2: Hydrology of Kirehe District 1.2.3 Relief, Soil and Erosion Kirehe District consists of a low plateau area with less steep relief. However, there is a chain of mountains which divide the region into two geographical entities. These are characterized by a low altitude plain at 1,350 m of altitude, separated by isolated hills and mountains with a plateau at the summits of Mountain Mahama and Mountain Migongo. The average altitude of the District is 1500 m above sea level (Kirehe DDS, 2018-2024). According to FAO, Kirehe District is mostly rich in humic cambisols, terrific histosols, humic alisols, humic ferralsols and humic acrisols. These soil types are rich in nutrients and suitable for agriculture. The map below demonstrates Kirehe soil classification (FAO website, 2022) Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 6 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 33 Map 3: Soil Classification The land areas affected by erosion are Nasho, Gahara, Gatore, Mpanga and Kigarama Sectors estimated to an area of 820 ha (15% of sector land at risk), followed by Kigina Sector with 600 ha (12% of sector land at risk), and Mushikiri Sector with 392 ha (8% of sector land at risk). The presence of rill erosion in some Sectors confirms the findings of the CROM model. The Sectors most affected by rill erosion are Nyarubuye, Kigina, Kirehe and Musaza (RWB, The State of Soil Erosion Control in Rwanda May 2022). 1.2.4 Topography of the area The District is characterized by low undulating hills separated by valleys, some of which are swampy and boggy. This kind of topographical layout constitutes an important potential for modern irrigation systems and mechanized agriculture (Kirehe District website 2017). The slope analysis categorizes the District territory into 3 zones, slopes under 30%, slopes between 30% and 55%, and the high risk zone of more than 55%. Areas under 30% cover most parts of the District. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 7 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 34 Map 4: Slope Description in Kirehe District 1.2.5 Climate The Kirehe District has four climatic seasons per year and two annual harvest seasons. Agriculture is strongly dependent on the seasonal climatic changes, primarily depending on the rain. In winter, there is more rainfall than in summer. The precipitation averages 898 mm annually with an average temperature of 20.2°C. Annual precipitation varies from 0 up to 1096 mm. Precipitation decreases from the western part of the District to the eastern part in the Sectors of Mpanga, Mahama, Nyamugali, Nasho and Kigarama. September is the warmest month and June has the lowest average temperature (18.9°C). Precipitation varies 148 mm between the driest month and the wettest month. During the year, the average temperatures vary by 1.3°C. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 8 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 35 Map 5: Rainfall in Kirehe District Map 6: Temperature in Kirehe District Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 9 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 36 1.2.6 Flora and Fauna Habitats in Kirehe District, being at the heart of the Albertine Rift, are varied ranging from afro- montane ecosystems in the northern and western regions to lowland forests, savannah woodlands and savannah grasslands in the southern and eastern regions. There are conservation areas and protected areas, such as Akagera valley, Ibanda-Makera and Nyakagezi natural forests. The common tree species are Eucalyptus sp, Pinus sp, Grevillea robusta, Ficus sp, Mengifera indica (Mango), Parsia americana (Avocado), and Jacaranda mimosifolia. Wildlife include birds, small mammals, bees and reptiles. Domestic animals include cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, rabbits, and chickens. There are also aquatic animals like hippos, fish, and crocodiles. 1.2.7 Kirehe District existing land use/land cover Kirehe District spreads over an area of almost 1,118.5 km2, including water bodies. It is among the districts with land suitable for agriculture, which currently covers 55% of the District. The updated Kirehe District forest cover is about 70481 hectares which is equivalent to 20.37% which include plantations, wetland forests, and wooded savannah and shrub, mostly found in the Eastern livestock lands. Wetlands and water bodies account for 10% and 3.5% respectively while built-up areas including roads cover about 11.2% of the District. The built-up area is used for residential, commercial, utilities, public facilities and other monuments. Kirehe residents mostly settle in grouped, linear and scattered settlement patterns. Some sectors have IDP model villages like Mpanga and Nasho sectors. The table and map below, shows the area in ha and visual representation of existing land uses in Kirehe District. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 10 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 37 Land use Kirehe District Agriculture Built up area Forest Roads Waterbodies Wetlands Area (ha) 118,448.95 65,213.03 9,359.05 24,128.50 3,811.20 4,194.63 11,742.54 Percentage 100.00 55.06 7.90 20.37 3.22 3.54 9.91 Table 1: Existing land uses in Kirehe District Map 7: Existing Land Use in Kirehe District 1.2.8 Spatial SWOT Analysis Spatial SWOT analysis is a methodology to understand the strengths and weaknesses, and for identifying opportunities and threats linked to land use planning and development strategies. The methodology aims to identify synergies between land uses, and help mitigate any negative impact a certain land use can pose on neighboring activities. For Kirehe District, it is a tool to Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 11 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 38 develop land-use planning strategies grouped into four (4) thematic areas: agriculture and livestock, economy, social aspects and environment. ❖ Spatial SWOT, Agriculture and Livestock Strengths Weaknesses ● Fertile agricultural land. ● Existence of waterbodies, dykes and marshlands which favor fisheries and irrigation. ● Presence of livestock, especially in Manga Sector ● Consolidated land for agriculture, mainly in Nasho Sector ● Availability of post-harvest facilities ● Presence of feeder roads ● District’s topography (flat) which favors irrigation mechanization ● Low population density in well-established grouped community settlements. Insufficiency of agro processing facilities ● ● Low distribution of agricultural (fertilizers and improved seeds) Insufficiency of post harvesting facilities inputs maintenance infrastructures (dams or dykes) of irrigation ● ● Low ● Low level of agri-mechanization Opportunities Threats ● Potential for agriculture projects (Nasho, Mahama, ● Fluctuations of prices products at the markets for agricultural to increased ● Climate change effects (droughts, floods and soil erosion) ● Pest and diseases Mpanga, etc) ● Water bodies which contribute agricultural yields (irrigation). ● External markets for agricultural products ● Potential investment in modern agriculture ❖ Spatial SWOT, Economy Strengths Weaknesses ● Modern, local and cross border markets ● Presence of hydro-power plants ● Existing light industries (agro processing, Udukiriro, etc) ● Touristic sites (historical, cultural, adventure) and high level of promoting touristic sites especially in Nyarubuye Sector ● Presence of emerging trading centers, financial institutions and SACCOs able to reach people through local branches ● Insufficient infrastructure (modern markets, roads, etc.) ● Low level of private-public investment through PPP (road-side restaurants and guest houses, etc.) ● Low investment in touristic activities ● Small coverage of IT system like antenna (Iminara) Opportunities Threats ● Planned railway, railways stations and feeder roads ● Main communication companies operate in networking system (RBA, MTN and AIRTEL) ● Water rehabilitation projects ● District strategic location favoring cross-border trade with Tanzania and Burundi. ● Natural calamities basic infrastructure during rainy season, causing damage of roads destroy Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 12 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 39 ❖ Spatial SWOT, Social Aspects Strengths Weaknesses ● Availability of health facilities that improve welfare of ● the population. ● Young population (source of labour force) ● Availability of education facilities and high ● commitment of partners to support education system ● Presence of religious facilities for spiritual purpose and sport Insufficiency of sport equipment, youth centers, recreation leisure and facilities to support sport clubs. Insufficient (health, overcrowded classrooms, cemeteries, etc.) to public utilities (water, facilities public ● Low access implementing government programs. electricity, ICT, etc) ● Existence of sport clubs (Gisaka race, football and volleyball in the first division). ● Existence of Mahama refugee camp contributing to social population (establishment of education, health, religious, market, etc) surrounding life the of Opportunities Threats ● Government commitment regarding provision of ● High influx of refugees public facilities. ● Cultural tourism (Gisaka cy’Imigongo) offers unexploited opportunity for business development in Kirehe ❖ Spatial SWOT, Environment Strengths Weaknesses ● Natural resources (natural forest, quarries, ● Poor management of buffers zones (rivers, waterbodies, etc.) lakes, dams and natural forests) ● Project for afforestation, reforestation and agroforestry. ● Use of renewable source of energy (solar energy) ● Dependence on non-renewable energy (fire to deforestation and leading wood) pollution. ● Low enforcement of environmental protection, policies and regulations. ● Lack of skills to exploit natural resources Opportunities Threats ● Planned environmental projects for re-afforestation, agro-forest, afforestation and restoration of pasture land. ● Ecological restoration of natural forest (Ibanda- Makera) and raising awareness of protecting and conserving the environment. ● Climate change effects and topography (droughts, floods, erosion, etc) ● Pressure from agriculture and livestock on water resources and possible pollution; Infrastructure developments. ● Table 2: SWOT Analysis Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 13 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 40 Regulatory and Policy Framework Kirehe District Land Use Plan (DLUP) 2023 – 2050 is aligned with the existing framework in the Country in terms of Policies, Strategies, Plans, Laws and Regulations Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 14 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 41 2. POLICY AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK Several policies, laws, strategies, guidelines, and directives documents prepared by the Government of Rwanda regulate land use, development, planning and management in Rwanda, as discussed in this section. 2.1 Policies ● National Land Policy, June 2019, MoE The revised land policy focuses on the efficient utilization and management of land to support the national transformation goals without compromising the benefits of future generations. To achieve this objective, the policy outlines actions organized into three core pillars: land use planning, surveying, and mapping; land use management; and land administration. These pillars encompass eight thematic areas: (a) Land use planning, surveying, and mapping; (b) Integration of land utilization across various Sectors; (c) Effective land use management; (d) Facilitation of private sector investment in land; (e) Land registration procedures; (f) Administration of land lease fees, real property taxes, and land markets; (g) Ensuring land rights security and managing land disputes; (h) Institutional framework and coordination mechanisms within the land sub-sector. ● National Urbanization Policy, December 2015, MININFRA; ● National Human Settlement Policy in Rwanda, May 2009, MININFRA; ● National Housing Policy, March 2015, RHA. 2.2 Laws and Regulations ● Presidential Order n° 038/01 of 20/05/2022 establishing NLUDMP The Presidential Order establishes the NLUDMP, delineates a planning horizon spanning the next three decades. The Order outlines the revision process, ensuring alignment with other Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 15 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 42 plans, and assigns responsible institutions for implementation, emphasizing the pivotal role of all sectors. With the NLUDMP gazetted, the focus now shifts to effectively implementing it through DLUPs and other tools, ensuring strict adherence to alignment principles between NLUDMP and DLUPs. It is against this backdrop that Kirehe District revised its Land Use Plan, ensuring compliance with the directives set forth in NLUDMP 2020-2050. ● Law n° 27/2021 dated 10/06/2021 governing land in Rwanda The law governing land in Rwanda regulates land affairs, contains detailed provisions concerning land use management and development, as well as the institutional framework and procedures governing the initiation, development, adoption, and establishment of land use and development plans at the district level. The legislation specifically governs land occupancy and construction activities on areas designated for human habitation. Moreover, it encompasses the planning of plots and site development to facilitate the realization of national, City of Kigali, and district land use master plans. Kirehe DLUP was revised taking into consideration additional laws related to land management and utilization such as: ● Law n°10/2012 of 02/05/2012 governing urban planning and building in Rwanda. Urban planning should strive for the gradual and adaptable advancement of urban centers within the context of economic and social development policies, incorporating rural planning and environmental preservation objectives; ● Law n°20/2011 of 21/06/2011 governing human habitation in Rwanda. This law governs land occupation and construction on lands reserved for human habitation; ● Ministerial Order n° 04/Cab.M/015 of 18/05/2015 determining urban planning and building in Rwanda; ● Ministerial Order No 005/MoE/22 of 15/02/2022 determining modalities of change of land use; ● Land use plans zoning regulations, edition 1, November 2022. 2.3 Sectoral Plans ● Strategic Plan for agriculture transformation (2018-24) ● National Transportation Policy and Strategy for Rwanda (April,2021) ● National Wetlands Management Framework for Rwanda (December,2020) Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 16 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 43 ● The state of soil erosion in Control in Rwanda (May,2022) ● Rwanda Irrigation Master Plan (2020) ● Rwanda Transmission master plan (2022-2030) ● Rwanda Electricity Distribution Master Plan (June 2022) ● National Feeder Roads Master Plan (2023) ● Rwanda Forest Cover Mapping Report (November,2019) ● Revised Green Growth and Climate Resilient Strategy ( September 2022) ● National Determined Contribution (May 2020) ● National Water and Sanitation Policy (October 2023) 2.4 Guidelines Numerous land use planning guidelines established in previous years remain pertinent and continue to inform current practices, e.g.: ● Ministerial Instructions relating to the implementation of the National Grouped Settlement Program in Rural Areas (27 May 2009); ● Urban Planning and Building Codes (June 2019, MININFRA); ● Rwanda Land Use Planning Guidelines (December 2017, RNRA); ● Participatory Land Readjustment Guidelines (October 2021, NLA); ● Ministerial Instructions no.001 of 23/04/2018 determining the management and use of the lands allocated for agriculture and livestock. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 17 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 44 Chapter Three: Methodology Kirehe District Land Use Plan (DLUP) 2023 – 2050 was elaborated based on existing data collected, analyzed and interpreted to reflect the real local context of Kirehe District. Field Data Collection, Interviews, Focus Group Discussions and Public Consultations guided the social inclusiveness of this DLUP. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 18 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 45 3. METHODOLOGY The DLUP was jointly developed by NLA and Kirehe District. The two parties' staff worked together, supporting the sharing of secondary data needed from both NLA and Kirehe District relevant in the desktop review. The review of Kirehe DLUP was updated in the framework of alignment with the NLUDMP 2020-2050, hence the preparation of the plan was made to harmonize with not only NLUDMP 2020-2050 but also DDS, Sectoral strategic plans, NST1 and Vision 2050. 3.1 DLUP Planning Process The planning process started with a situational and deskwork analysis, to which all staff members from both sides engaged and sorted out which data were available, methodologies to be applied, consultative meetings and investigations to be conducted, data collection steps including land survey and physical analysis, checking with boundary compliance for urban, rurban and rural settlement sites, dissemination and information sharing for public awareness, and draft report development. Figure 2: Planning steps used during elaboration and review of Kirehe DLUP 3.2 Consultation meetings Consultation is one of the methodologies used in the development of the Kirehe DLUP. This to build awareness of the project among different stakeholders, including partner institutions, Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 19 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 46 local authorities and the community concerned. The consultation provided a clear understanding of Kirehe DLUP, its targets for the community and the country, the scope of the project, its time frame, the activities to be covered and how they should be carried out to ensure a reliable result. During the development of Kirehe DLUP, consultation meetings were held among the different institutions, local authorities and the community. A joint kick-off meeting with NLA, District representatives and stakeholders was conducted in August, 2022. 3.2.1 Consultation with Local people The community is the prime user of the land for diverse activities. Given the high population growth in almost all parts of the country, the population poses the issue of land fragmentation, whereby land is split into extremely small pieces. Land fragmentation spurs land conflicts as well as poor production and management. The DLUP proposes a solution to better facilitate land management and efficient use of available land resources. With the implementation of the DLUP, land conflicts will be mitigated, and people given the opportunity to work with and develop their land. During the development of the Kirehe DLUP, community consultation meetings were conducted in each sector to raise awareness of the project and its objective. These consultations also offered the population an opportunity to raise their current issues linked to land, assisting in effective data collection and allocation of land where most suitable. From the consultation meetings, the community learned about their rights and responsibilities during the development of the DLUP and on their involvement in the implementation of the land use plan. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 20 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 47 Figure 3: Consultation meetings with Local authorities, stakeholders and communities 3.2.2 Consultation at Sector and District Level At the local level, the DLUP was developed through the combined efforts of the concerned District (Consultation meeting with District OSC Staffs, its sectors, cells and villages. The District organizes community consultation meetings at villages, cells and sectors levels as well as opinion leaders. The consultation with local authorities aims at improving their understanding about the benefits of the project in terms of enhanced land management and economic development. This type of consultation aims to engage the local communities as well as to build a sense of ownership of the project, as it concerns their territories and directly impacts them and their communities. The local authorities are the main implementers and regular supervisors of implementation of the DLUP. In the planning process, the local authorities are the ones who can advise on the terrain and provide accurate information for good planning and development. They are aware of the potential areas and understand the appropriate development sectors to allocate in each part of the locality. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 21 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 48 In the case of Kirehe District, the local authorities guided on locations suitable for agriculture, mining, tourism, forestry, etc. for good land allocation in an efficient manner. Thus, the participatory process helped in planning and elaboration of Kirehe DLUP and will simplify the implementation phase to make the project more successful Consultation meetings with local authorities aim to build awareness of the project and to understand roles and responsibilities, from planning to implementation. With a high level of involvement of local authorities, citizens become more aware of Kirehe DLUP and get involved to facilitate its implementation. 3.2.3 Consultation with National Stakeholders The DLUP planning and implementation process involves many stakeholders at the national level. Thus, institutional consultations aim to make the different governmental and non- governmental institutions take part in the awareness of the project and the need to participate in its development and implementation. The collaboration of different institutions play an important role in the success of the project for planning, development and implementation purposes. During the elaboration of this DLUP, various institutions worked together in accordance with their mandate, with NLA as the lead institution, to reach a good land use balance for all sectors’ in terms of needs, targets and development projects. Thus the DLUP is a solution to efficiently allocate land to different sectors, to effectively manage the use of available resources by different institutions, to guide the future development of communities, and to promote more desirable social, economic and environmental outcomes. Key institutions and agencies involved and consulted by NLA are RDB and GGGI (field consultation on tourism zone), RHA, RTDA, NISR, LODA, REMA (field consultation at conservation), RWB and University of Rwanda (field consultation on Stormwater management plan and Open spaces), RFA, FONERWA, WASAC, REG, RAB, and various ministries such as MINICOM, MININFRA, MINAGRI, MINEDUC, MINISANTE, MINISPORT, etc. Government agencies and ministries, depending on their mandates, have to achieve their objectives and to find the best balance on land use to guide them in the District. Thus, the consultations on the preparation, development and implementation of the DLUP helped understand the efficient use of land not to hamper projects and future prospects of other Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 22 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 49 sectors. These consultations also clarified roles and responsibilities in the planning, elaboration and implementation of the DLUP. In addition, all sectoral institutions participated in finding the best land balance that supports better management of the limited land available and efficient use of the available resources. 3.3 Data Collection Data collection is an important part of planning because it helps planners understand the current situation, identify future potential challenges and opportunities, and make predictions and projections by choosing the best proposals and scenarios. It allows planners to analyze trends and patterns, assess needs and resources, and develop evidence-based strategies. The data collection consisted in two categories of data collected during DLUP elaboration: spatial data and non-spatial data. Figure 14: Data collection and analysis – process 3.3.1 Spatial Data Collection Spatial data includes geographic information about a space or an area. The spatial data required for the elaboration of the Kirehe DLUP includes existing infrastructure such as roads, electricity network, water supply, educational and healthcare facilities, markets, administrative offices, mining sites and concessions, etc. In addition, it is necessary to collect data in the field on the location of potential settlements and to delineate their boundaries, from urban to rural areas, so that settlements might be Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 23 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 50 differentiated from other land uses. Spatial data collection is necessary to mark areas that are likely to be protected and conserved, such as tourist sites, as well as to map disaster-prone areas such as steep slopes or areas prone to flooding. Spatial data collection was carried out using tools such as Garmin GPS, DGPS, Earth collector, SW Maps and so on during the fieldwork. In addition, a collateral methodology was used to collect spatial data available from various institutions involved in the DLUP. During this collateral spatial data collection, existing and proposed data for each sector was gathered to analyze the current situation, and subsequently plan future land use based on the present status and goals for each sector. Figure 4: Desk Work for Spatial Data Capturing and Mapping with Local Communities 3.3.1.1 Field Work and Study Based on the analysis of the desk review on existing condition, features and selected priority areas, a field land survey and physical analysis within the priority sites in all urban, rurban and rural settlements sites was conducted to analyze the existing situation and to formulate planning proposals for Kirehe DLUP at the horizon of 2050. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 24 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 51 Figure 5: Joint NLA-District and TAG Fieldwork and Surveys All 188 rural settlement sites were visited where Geographic Positioning System (GPS) coordinates were taken to identify boundary consistencies and zoning. Primary data were collected by face-to-face conversations with local communities as well as direct observations. Data were analyzed and interpreted by the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) and satellite images. 3.3.1.2 Spatial Data Collection The most common method of collecting spatial data is through the use of Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers. For other spatial data collection, institutions provide spatial data related to their projects to be included in the DLUP process. For instance, Kirehe is a District with various natural resources and potentials such as trade, forestry, and agriculture. Therefore, all institutions related to these sectors need to situate their projects in the light of the current Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 25 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 52 situation and future prospects. They provide the available data for their projects to support planning and to accumulate each sector in a balanced way according to their land demands. The collection of sectoral data is done by using a template and checklist, for the partner institutions to prepare and provide their sector specific data to NLA. This avoids land conflicts between different sectors, facilitates efficient use of resources and ensures future development. In this regards, during the elaboration of Kirehe DLUP, data collected, included forestry from RFA, water supply systems and associated future projects from WASAC, electricity data from REG, tourism data from RDB, transport data from RTDA, rural settlement boundaries and urban master plans from RHA, wetlands and their buffer zones from REMA, rivers, lakes and other water bodies from RWB, environmental tourism or conservation data from REMA and RDB and many others. The accumulation of these spatial data and projects provides a basis for data collection on the ground, and provides detailed information for zoning and subsequent implementation support. 3.3.2 Non-Spatial Data Collection Non-spatial data (such as attribute or characteristic data) consists of information that is independent of any geometric considerations. It includes data that is not demonstrated with location-based and geographic location. Basically, non-spatial data accumulates statistical and quantitative data that provide information about features or phenomena in the form of definitions, explanations and can be displayed in graphs, tables, but not maps. When elaborating the DLUP, non-spatial data are needed to support the analysis and guide the future land use planning. Statistical data, on for example neighborhood economy, environment and livelihoods, are needed and taken into account for the preparation of the DLUP. The non-spatial data collected includes demographic statistics, socio-economic patterns, economic activities that support livelihoods, religious statistical data and its movements, etc. These data are essential to support the elaboration of Kirehe DLUP where each situation was taken into account to guide the development of all sectors. Non-spatial data was collected during fieldwork, consultation with different offices for institutions, local authorities, and non-governmental groups. Non-spatial data helps to fill in gaps in spatial data and provides information for decision-making in effective planning. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 26 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 53 3.4 Data Analysis Data analysis encompasses the process of reviewing, cleaning, transforming, and modeling data with the goal of discovering useful information, drawing conclusions, and supporting decision making. Land use plan data analysis involves applying spatial and non-spatial data on infrastructure, zoning, and other features to describe, illustrate, summarize, and interpret the data. Spatial and non-spatial data are analyzed to generate the land use zoning layers, and for the compilation of tabulations and graphs in the DLUP report. The analysis of spatial and non- spatial data assists in effective land use allocation, effective planning and balancing of different thematic areas. The analysis helped to identify suitable areas for different land uses, e.g. zoning the settlements into convenient locations and allocating other land uses in different areas. Through data analysis, the urban and rural settlement areas were mapped and the related land use zones were planned. Steep slopes zones of up to 1 in 10 were identified, where forest plantations were allocated, and disaster-prone areas were identified. The analysis of spatial and non-spatial guided efficient land use and planning of different thematic areas. For the data analysis geospatial technology, especially GIS software, were used to acquire data from the field and manipulate it in the office to get a clear representation. With regard to GIS software, the technical team used ArcGIS 10.8 version, as well as ArcGIS pro, to create shape files and associated maps for zoning. GIS further helped in creating tabular data by referring to the attribute tables of the geospatial data. These tabulated data were later analyzed using Excel and SPSS to ensure a good and accurate representation in the report. The draft Kirehe DLUP report was developed and validated with the District, NLA and relevant stakeholders- A working retreat was held from 13th to 25th November 2022, at NLA Headquarters to harmonize the DLUP Report before Public Consultation and approval process. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 27 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 54 Figure 6: Report Compilation, Retreat in Kigali The outcome of the above mentioned retreat was constructive and a Draft Document for Circulation and Consultation was available gathering various collected data to fill all of the zoning gaps and the proposed land uses well structured and articulated in the DLUP Report. The DLUP report presents all land use planning related concepts, data, and other information that illustrates how land is allocated to support the effective use of resources and guide future development at the district level. The report serves to document the current status and projected situation with respect to land use in the district. The DLUP report compiles the data collected into a single document that represents the district master plan. The document consists of text, maps, tables, diagrams, and other outlines that describe the district in concern given the background of all the issues. The DLUP report presents the planning situation of the district considering PUSH (population, urbanization, settlement and housing), spatial economy (mining, trade, industrialization, agriculture, etc.), tourism and conservation, infrastructure and services, and environment. The report further covers enforcement of existing laws, legal and institutional framework, phased plan, capital improvement projects, land readjustment for detailed physical plans, and zoning regulations. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 28 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 55 Chapter Four: Land Use Planning Proposals Kirehe District Land Use Plan (DLUP) 2023 – 2050 has a Vision of transforming the District of Kirehe into “An Excellent Hub of Agribusiness Cross Border Trade and Tourism” Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 29 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 56 4. KIREHE DISTRICT LAND USE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT PLANNING 4.1 Visioning and economic specialization of Kirehe District 4.1.1 Vision of Kirehe District The vision of Kirehe District is aligned to Rwanda Vision 2020-2050 targets of becoming a middle-income country by 2035 and high income country by 2050. It is also aligned to NLUDMP 2020-2050. With this focus, the District will sustain to protect the environment and fight against the effects of climate change. Based on the findings of the spatial SWOT analysis, the District envisions to “Increase wealthy living conditions of the people by achieving a sustainable economic development and accelerated poverty reduction” through transforming the District into “A Vibrant Hub of Agribusiness, Cross Border Trade and Tourism”. This vision is aligned with the District's strengths in terms of natural resources including lakes, Akagera River and wetlands, agriculture and livestock, as well as the opportunities for sustainable tourism segments and its strategic cross-border position. The vision also recognizes the potential for the District to serve as a transit hub for cross-border trade and logistics, given its cross border location with Tanzania and Burundi and growing quarrying industry. It will be achieved through the implementation of all indicated land use planning strategies in conjunction with other Government policies, quality service delivery and support to sectors to deliver services, 4.1.2 District Spatial Planning Strategies Kirehe District development strategies will be implemented in line with the national objectives, which include the following overall objectives of (i) Improving the quality of education for all, take care of youth and promote culture; (ii) Improving population health status, the welfare of families, child protection and gender promotion; (iii) Contributing to sustainable economic growth through development of pro-poor projects; (iv) Developing socio-economic infrastructure to attract investors; (v) Ensuring effective and efficient service delivery; (vi) Maximizing mobilization of District revenues; and (vii) Enhancing coordination and ensure effective monitoring and evaluation for the District programs. These objectives, along with implementing the following six spatial development strategies, will contribute to achieving the vision of the District. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 30 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 57 ⮚ To keep a sustainable agriculture and livestock and develop agro-prepossessing industry Kirehe District is a District with prime agricultural land (LUCA A) and is one of the Eastern Districts where agriculture should be developed further, so that cultivated land grows in size, and yields improve. Therefore, irrigation schemes in Nasho, Mpanga, Mahama, Nyamugari and Kigarama; livestock in Nasho, Nyarubuye, Mpanga and Mushikiri, and agroforest in other areas of the District should be kept and developed to support agricultural productivity and District economy. ⮚ To Develop sustainable cross border trade, logistics along Kigali-Rusumo National Roads Cross-border trade is important for Kirehe District for a number of social and economic reasons. Firstly, neighboring countries are important trading partners accounting for 20% of Rwanda’s total trade. The Tanzania and Burundi borders are significant to the District in several ways, with several towns in Tanzania’s Kagera region. The Rusumo One Stop Border Post, which is the entry point for more than 80% of Rwanda’s imports and the main logistic point and Dry Ports located in Kigarama and Nyamugali and Gatore Sectors respectively. Important trading centers are also located alongside both corridors in Kigarama, Nyamugali, Nasho and Gahara Sectors. Kigarama and Gahara Sectors will have the opportunity to host the two railway stations and additional border posts. These trade and logistics centers in addition to Kirehe Secondary City should be developed to support the District economy and improve community livelihoods. ⮚ To develop touristic sites and improve hospitality services The location of Kirehe District gives it an advantage with tourism sites likely to be developed. These include Nyarubuye, Mushikiri, Rusumo falls at River Akagera at the border and lakes like Rwampanga, Cyambwe, Nyabugongwe and its pleasant landscape and other potential sites constitute significant resources in the tourism industry. The District has many eco-tourism sites such as Cyanjuna Mountain, Remera Mountain, lakes, Urutare rwa Muzungu, Udusozi tw’Amabere y’Inkumi, Falls of Rusumo, and Rwakigeri. In addition, artisans are another value addition to its variety of crafts that can generate income. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 31 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 58 The tourism sector in Kirehe District shall be well developed and exploited to generate revenue. Lakes and other natural features could attract tourists, but hotels and camping facilities should be developed in the Secondary City and in other strategic areas like Nyarubuye-Nasho. Investors should be encouraged to invest in eco-tourism that will boost the local economy by generating new types of revenues and job creation. The Development of a Tourism Master Plan with the objective of diversifying products and destinations would be beneficial in addressing current gaps. ⮚ To keep and conserve natural and environmental resources The development of agriculture, industry, trade, businesses and infrastructure to strengthen the economy shall be achieved with environmental concerns. Wetlands, rivers and biodiversity should be kept and preserved. Akagera River and swampland, livestock development and afforestation, exploitation of stones in Nyarubuye, Nasho, Mushikiri, Musaza and Mpanga Sectors will be done sustainably and shall keep and preserve some areas in natural landscapes. During the implementation of Kirehe DLUP, the environment must be preserved by applying buffer zones to the wetlands, dams, and rivers keeping and protecting parts of swamplands in their natural state, and protecting Nyagasenyi and Ibanda-Makera mashland-forets. ⮚ To develop sustainable Eastern corridor railway and road connectivity and transportation facilities Development of a sustainable road network connecting agricultural zones, commercial centers and residential zones is a key to standardizing the economy of the District. Kirehe District has increased asphalt feeder roads alongside the national road Kigali-Rusumo. The DLUP has proposed other roads to be prioritized and reserves to be developed which will increase accessibility in the District. ⮚ To keep and develop sustainable residential zones Kirehe District is mainly characterized by a well grouped settlement and has registered a high population migration coming from repatriated Rwandans from Tanzania as well as other parts of the country. The District also has a big number of refugees in Mahama refugee camp. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 32 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 59 During the elaboration of the DLUP, urban and rural settlement sites have been restructured and reshaped through delimiting and marking the boundaries of residential zones. This will prevent further encroachment on agricultural land and prevent conflicts with residential zones. Figure 7: Kirehe District Spatial Strategies Planning and Mapping 4.1.3 Kirehe District Economic Specialization 4.1.3.1 The Current economic specialization in Kirehe District The current economic specialization revolves around cross border trade, agriculture, livestock, trading, financial sector, tourism, mining, infrastructure, and energy. The economic development potential in Kirehe District is mainly focused on agro-business, tourism, business Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 33 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 60 attraction, arts and crafts, mineral deposit and quarries (Kirehe DDP: 2018-2024). The key economic sectors are: ● Agriculture with banana, maize, rice, pineapple, coffee and horticulture; ● Livestock such as cattle, goats, pigs and chicken ● Private sector development, with strong emphasis on the mining sector (presence of wolfram, cassiterite, coltan, clay, stones and sand), hospitality, cross border trade, petrol stations, and light industry (ICPCs & agro-processing plants) ● Energy, with focus on on-grid and off-grid to promote the use of alternative energy sources; ● Roads development, with focus on roads rehabilitation to improve the overall road network; ● Environment and climate change, to avoid or to reduce the negative impact of natural calamities and disasters; ● Tourism: Rusumo falls, Nyarubuye rocky mountains, Amabere y’inkumi, Urutare rwa Muzungu, Nyamurindira and Cyanjuna hills, lakes, Imigongo arts ● Sports and Culture: Genocide memorial sites, Kirehe Gymnasium and Kirehe Volleyball club ● Financial sector: Bank of Kigali, Banque Populaire du Rwanda, COGEBANQUE, Umwalimu SACCO, Umurenge SACCO 4.1.3.2 Planned economic specialization in Kirehe District ● Agriculture and livestock The economy will continue to be largely based on agriculture which represents 90% of the population's economic activities. The most used and developed crops are banana, beans, rice and pineapple. The Sectors with agriculture as the most dominant economic activity are Gahara, Gatore, Mushikiri, Mpanga, Nasho and Musaza (Kirehe website: 2017). The special economic activity for Kirehe District is mainly irrigation and mechanized agriculture around Nasho lakes. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 34 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 61 Figure 8: Irrigation Scheme and facilities around Nasho Lake Kirehe District is planned to become a Secondary City District, but is still mainly a rural District whose economy is dominated by agriculture and livestock. However, this sector is being modernized and the productivity is moderate. The scales of poverty and extreme poverty are 44.6% and 18.5% respectively, against 44.9% and 24.1% at national level (Kirehe LED, 2017). The fertile soils in the District are utilized for production of food crops like banana, maize, beans, soya beans, and cassava and the marshlands are suitable for rice. Fruits like pineapple, orange, and mango grow in different hills of Kirehe. These crops are on a consolidated land of 64,500 ha, compared to the total 75,000 ha of land in Kirehe District (DDP: 2013- 2018). Banana plantation is mostly cultivated in the areas of Mushikiri, Gatore, Kirehe and Musaza Sectors where it covers 21,500 ha of land. Kirehe District has a significant number of moderate sized land holdings, suggesting opportunities to expand agricultural enterprises. Kirehe District has 27,272 ha of cultivable land for maize, 21,500 ha for banana, 600 ha for pineapple, and 816 ha for rice. The economic Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 35 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 62 development potential is mainly focused on agro-business, tourism, business attraction, arts and crafts, mineral deposit and quarries (Kirehe DDP: 2018-2024). A strategic position and comparative advantage in coffee, banana, maize, rice, and horticulture allow for the development of several high-value products in the District. A fair amount of the population is engaged in fishing activities, due to the high number of fishing spots along the shores of the lakes Nasho, Rwampanga and Cyambwe, and river Akagera. The District has an advantage due to areas that are well developed for irrigation in Nasho and Mpanga Sectors and Cyunuzi, Sagatare, Kinoni I & II, Nyamugali and Mahama dykes that are meant to irrigate crops, especially rice and vegetables. The District has areas suitable for livestock farming like Mpanga, Nyarubuye, Mushikiri, Mahama and Nasho Sectors where 16,000 liters of milk are produced daily from 25,000 grazing cows. ● Cross border trade The geographical location of the District gives it an advantage in terms of the regional border trade with Tanzania and Burundi. Trade is mostly practiced through shops, small bars, restaurants and small hotels. There are six markets which are well constructed (Gahara, Gatore, Nyakarambi, Kiyanzi, Mulindi and Nganda) with others operating from places that are not well constructed offering no shelter from rain or sun for the traders and their merchandise. In addition, the District engages in trade with neighboring Districts, especially agricultural products like maize, rice, beans, banana, pineapple, and avocado. The District has built three selling points, Gatore, Kagane in Kiremera Cell and Rwanteru in Rwanteru center. ● Tourism Kirehe District is a great spot for tourism because of its location. There are many places that could become popular tourist destinations, like Nyarubuye, Mushikiri, and the Rusumo Falls on the Akagera River bordering Tanzania.Lakes such as Lake Nasho, Rwampanga, Cyambwe, and Nyabugongwe and its pleasant landscape constitute significant resources for the tourism industry. Artisans is another sector adding value and generating income to the District through arts and crafts (2017). Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 36 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 63 The District’s tourism sites including Cyanjuna Mountain, Remera Mountain, Lakes, Urutare rwa Muzungu, Udusozi tw’Amabere y’Inkumi, Falls of Rusumo, and Rwakigeli Island in Lake Mpanga offer exciting possibilities for eco-tourism development. The Development of a Tourism Master Plan with the objective of diversifying products and destinations would be beneficial in addressing current gaps. To unlock the district’s full tourism potential, attracting investment in ecotourism enterprises is crucial. This would generate new revenue streams, create jobs, and boost the local economy. Developing a comprehensive Tourism Master Plan that focuses on diversifying tourism products and destinations would be highly beneficial in addressing current gaps and ensuring sustainable tourism growth. Name of Sector 1. NYARUBUYE 2. KIREHE 3. MUSHIKIRI 4. NASHO 5. MAHAMA 6. KIGARAMA 7. MPANGA 8. KIGINA 9. GAHARA Names of cultural heritage site Nyarubuye Genocide memorial site Nyabitare Genocide memorial site Remera mountain Imigongo arts Nyakarambi Genocide memorial site Rugarama Genocide memorial site Cyanjuna mountain Lake Nasho Nasho irrigation scheme Lake Cyambwe Nyamurindira Mahama I & II irrigation scheme Isumo ry’Akagera Amabere y' inkumi Lake Rwampanga Ibanda Makera natural forest Mpanga irrigation scheme Rwanteru Nyagasenyi wetland natural forest Urutare rwa Muzungu Type of cultural heritage Historical Historical Recreation, adventure, historical Historical, Cultural Historical Historical Recreation, adventure Adventure Recreation, adventure Historical, adventure Agriculture tourism Recreation, adventure Recreation, adventure Recreation, adventure Recreation, adventure Adventure Recreation, adventure Recreation, adventure Historical 10. NYAMUGALI Rusumo Falls Recreational, adventure Table 3: Tourism Sites in Kirehe District ● Mining and quarrying Minerals are becoming an important source of revenue for Rwanda and have shown good potential as an avenue for increased growth and economic transformation. Mining poses a strong opportunity to Kirehe District to provide a diversified source of revenue and create job opportunities. Mining sites in Kirehe District are found in Cyobaharaye, Bukorasi and Nyabitare, in Gahara Sector. All sectors of Kirehe District are rich in stone, specifically Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 37 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 64 Nyarubuye, Musaza, and Mushikiri, which can be used to produce other products like mineral deposits and quarries for mining development. This DLUP strives to spur the District economic development by making strategic allocation of land for various economic activities such as development of industries in industrial parks, making boundaries and secure irrigation schemes, diversifying activities generating of revenue for increasing population by putting through a sustainable exploitation of natural resources, and tourism opportunities, etc 4.2 POPULATION, URBANIZATION, SETTLEMENT AND HOUSING (PUSH) 4.2.1 Existing population in Kirehe District According to RPHC 4 and 5, the population of Kirehe District increased from 340,368 in 2012 to 460,860 in 2022. The population is predominantly rural, with 94% of the total population living in rural areas in 2022 compared to 97% in 2012. The female population is slightly higher than the male, with females representing 52% of the total population. Individuals aged 0-17 years accounted for 168,796 (49.6%) of the total population in 2012 as compared to 215,326 (46.7%) in 2022 reflecting a decrease in fertility rate over a ten-year period. The number of private households will increase to 113,886 in 2022, compared to 77,879 in 2012. The population density increased from 287 inhabitants/km2 in 2012 to 398 inhabitants/km2 in 2022. This indicates that the District has become more densely populated over the ten-year period. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 38 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 65 Sector Name Type of 2012 Census Sector: Urban; Rural Rural Rural Rural Urban Urban Rural Rural Rural Rural Rural Rural Rural Gahara Gatore Kigarama Kigina Kirehe Mahama Mpanga Musaza Mushikiri Nasho Nyamugari Nyarubuye Total Male Female 18,730 12,808 14,966 13,235 11,485 11,483 15,351 12,135 13,564 12,907 17,710 20,754 14,115 16,183 13,674 12,299 12,160 16,420 13,309 14,467 14,047 19,044 Number of HHs 2022 2022 Census Male Female 9,106 6,156 7,104 6,279 5,385 5,451 7,183 5,907 6,343 6,016 8,568 21,105 15,055 17,878 16,666 13,997 39,579 19,480 14,355 15,833 16,077 20,867 23,357 16,632 19,258 17,976 15,550 41,435 20,693 15,740 17,008 17,588 22,071 Total Populati on 39,484 26,923 31,149 26,909 23,784 23,643 31,771 25,444 28,031 26,954 36,754 9,416 163,790 10,106 176,578 19,522 340,368 4,381 77,879 10,871 221,763 11,789 239,097 Number of HHs 2022 10,987 7,830 9,177 8,561 7,302 20,020 9,927 7,437 8,116 8,319 10,611 5,600 113,886 Total Populati on 44,462 31,687 37,136 34,642 29,547 81,014 40,173 30,095 32,841 33,665 42,938 22,660 460,860 Table 4: Population of Kirehe District for the years 2012 and 2022 Figure 9: Kirehe District Population 2012 and 2022 According to table 4, Gahara Sector had the highest population in 2012 (39,484 inhabitants) and was surpassed by Mahama Sector (81,014 inhabitants) in 2022. The high increase in population in Mahama Sector, from 23,643 inhabitants in 2012 to 81,014 in 2022, was caused by a high migration of population from other parts of the country and from migration of refugees hosted in Mahama refugee camp established in 2015. Nyarubuye Sector was observed to be the least populated sector with 19,522 inhabitants in 2012 and 22,660 inhabitants in 2022. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 39 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 66 The population pyramid shows a large base indicating that the District population is predominantly young. This suggests that there was a high birth rate and a lower mortality rate. The narrow top indicates low life expectancy in the District during the same period. Figure 10: Kirehe District population Pyramid 2022 4.2.2 Projected population in Kirehe District According to NLUDMP 2020-2050, the total population of Kirehe District is estimated to reach 535,396 inhabitants by 2035 and 636,500 by the year 2050, Out of this, 33.3 % of the total population are expected to live in urban areas by 2035 and 51.3 % of the total population in 2050. This is based on the assumption that the population will be distributed proportionally to the future agricultural land in the LUCA categories. Kirehe District is categorized as a Secondary City which falls under “LUCA A”. To enable the Sector population projections, the average annual growth percentage was calculated at 1.2%: Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 40 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 67 Sector Type of Sector Population 2022 HHs 2022 Population 2035 HHs 2035 Population 2050 HHs 2050 Gahara Gatore Kigarama Kigina Kirehe Mahara Mpanga Musaza Mushikiri Nasho Nyamugali Nyarubuye Total Rural & Urban Rural Rural & Urban Rural & Urban Rural & Urban Rural Rural Rural Rural Rural & Urban Rural & Urban Rural 44,462 31,687 37,136 34,642 29,547 81,014 40,173 30,095 32,841 33,665 42,938 22,660 10,987 7,830 9,177 8,561 7,302 20,020 9,927 7,437 8,116 8,319 10,611 5,600 50,565 25,857 37,718 112,619 64,199 66,108 32,781 24,558 26,798 33,552 42,149 18,491 12,641 6,464 9,429 28,155 16,050 16,527 8,195 6,139 6,700 8,388 10,537 4,623 58,197 22,452 40,169 183,427 99,147 57,404 28,465 21,324 23,270 40,442 46,145 16,056 14,549 5,613 10,042 45,857 24,787 14,351 7,116 5,331 5,818 10,110 11,536 4,014 460,860 113,886 535,396 133,849 636,500 159,125 Table 5: Growth rate projection for Kirehe District per administrative sector (NLUDMP 2020-2050) 2012 2022 2035 2050 Population/ Year Populatio n No. of HHs Population Total Population 340,368 77,879 460,860 Kirehe Secondary City Rusumo-Kiyanzi Rurban Center Nasho Rurban Center Gahara-Dagaza Rurban Center Sub-total(rurban) Sub-total(urban) - - - - - - - - - 10,083 2,574 13,983 5,582 6,398 3,076 15,056 29,039 Rural population 330,285 75.305 431,821 Kirehe Secondary City (%) Rurban Centers (%) Urban (%) Rural (%) Urban + Rural (%) - - 3.0% 97.0% - - 3.3% 96.7% 3.0% 3.3% 6.3% 93.7% 100% 100% 3,992 7,700 106,18 6 3.3% 3.5% 6.8% 93.2% No. of HHs 113,88 6 3,708 Populati on No. of HHs Populatio n No. of HHs 535,396 133,849 636,500 159,125 135,850 33,963 247,000 61,750 1,480 16,956 1,696 11,302 816 14,284 4,239 2,826 3,571 31,686 21,121 26,693 42,542 178,392 10,636 44,598 79,500 326,500 7,921 5,280 6,673 19,875 81,625 357,004 89,251 310,000 77,500 25.4% 7.9% 33.3% 66.7% 100% 38.8% 12.5% 51.3% 48.7% 100% Table 6: Population projection in Kirehe District per residence according to NLUDMP 2020-2050 The table depicts the projected population of Kirehe District. The subsequent figure illustrates the anticipated population distribution based on residence. Notably, the rural population constituted 97% of the overall population in 2012, followed by a decline to 93.7 % in 2022. Further projections indicate a gradual decrease to 66.7 % by the year 2035, ultimately reaching 48.7% by 2050. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 41 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 68 Figure 11: Illustration of Kirehe District population per residence from 2012 up to 2050 Map 8: Projection of the District Population 4.2.3 Urbanization, Settlement and Housing Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 42 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 69 In 2022, Rwanda had a population of 13,246,394 and a population growth rate of 2.3% (2012- 2022), making it one of Africa’s fastest-growing populations. This has severe implications in terms of demand on natural resources including land, water, forests, housing, health, education, and jobs. Rwanda’s urbanization rate remains significantly low despite its level of increasing at a high rate. Between 2001 and 2016, Rwanda's urban population grew almost twice as fast as the rural population, even though fertility levels within urban areas have generally been declining. High natural population growth in towns due to improved health and internal migration (mainly rural to urban) are by far the most significant causes of urban expansion, especially as persistent rural poverty causes migration to urban areas of people hoping to improve their livelihoods. While the majority of Rwanda’s population still lives and works in rural areas (more than 70%), the process of urbanization is well underway as Kigali and several major Rwandan Satellite and Secondary Cities are expanding rapidly and contributing to the country’s socio-economic growth. Between 2002 and 2015, Rwanda’s urban population increased from 1.49 million to 3.46 million, by almost 132% and at an average rate of 6.7% per year. Therefore, even at a slower pace of 4.5%, Rwanda's urban population can reach the government target of 15-16M, or 70% level of urbanization, by 2050. Migration from rural to urban areas is the key factor that affects the rate of urbanization. The higher the rural-urban migration is dominant, the higher the urbanization rate increases. Rwanda’s urbanization has been characterized by primacy syndrome which is a problematic typology in the urbanisation system. Primacy is whereby a stratum of small cities and numbers of weak cities of intermediate sizes are dominated by one vast city. The presence of a primate city in a country indicates an imbalance in development – a progressive core, and a lagging periphery, a situation which contradicts decentralization. If a country strives for decentralization, it must eliminate the primate city syndrome. Primate cities in the developing world are mostly a relic of their colonial history when European colonizers concentrated all economies, transportation facilities, and trade activities in one place, leaving the basic infrastructure in place after decolonization. The NLUDMP 2020- 2050 identifies a primate city system in Rwanda, with 1.3 million people living in the City of Kigali. The city includes 40% of the country’s urban population, while the remaining 60% live in small towns. The NLUDMP 2020-2050 target for Kigali is to steer it from being a primate city and plan other nodes for potential migration, to be distributed in the country. As a result, Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 43 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 70 the migration pressure on Kigali will decrease, and the size of the city will be limited at 3.8 million. For the urbanization process, a primate city and a Capital are not synonyms. In many countries, the Capital is the country's most important city, but not necessarily a primate city. As a capital, it will continue to be the country's most important city, a center of government, commerce, science, culture, and the place for headquarters of locals as well as important international businesses. In order to overcome the issue of primacy syndrome in the urbanisation system in Rwanda, the NLUDMP 2020-2050 recommended to create new cities' 'satellite cities' ' which are expected to support the demographic surplus of the City of Kigali. Another solution was to strengthen other cities including secondary cities, district towns and rurbans putting in place basic infrastructure creating attracting jobs to ensure the population to have life in those cities like it is in Kigali, the Capital. Figure 12: Proposed urban settlement hierarchy of Rwanda (source: NLUDMP 2020-2050) The NLUDMP 2020-2050 also introduced an additional mode of urbanization for Rwanda: “In-Situ Urbanization,” which is a process in which people become urbanized where they are. It transforms clusters of rural settlements into urban centers within the original rural environment. However, implementation requires governmental promotion and investments in rural agglomerations. On the other hand, it reduces the costly movements of the rural population to cities and reduces social and economic pressures in existing towns. To achieve a 70% urbanization rate, as per Vision 2050, in situ urbanization is encouraged, prioritizing investments in the rural system to form clusters of settlements. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 44 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 71 In addition, the NLUDMP 2020-2050 encourages Kigali and other cities to initiate large urban renewal projects and re-examine the use of steeper slopes within the existing boundaries. The renewal approach leads to inward retrofitting, more consolidation, and affordable housing for waves of migrants. Urban renewal will replace urban sprawl (mostly which is caused by the ease of vacant land development associated with its low cost). New development in urban as well as in rural areas must imply two complementary concepts: Agglomeration and Consolidation. Agglomeration is suitable for services and the economy. Agglomeration and economies of scale can emerge only if spatial consolidation is achieved. Concentration and Consolidation are the antonyms of sprawl, and it is one of the main objectives of this plan. To address predicted population growth and density, and to achieve a balanced and sustainable development, the NLUDMP 2020-2050 introduces a national settlement hierarchy and a spatial structure of all urban settlements in Rwanda. The hierarchy has five ranks: from the Capital City of Kigali to three Satellite Cities, eight Secondary Cities, 16 District Towns, and 73 Rurban Centres including agglomerations of small emerging towns in the rural areas. The distribution of the population is based on the settlement hierarchy and economic potentials of each city or town. 4.2.3.1 Current Situation of Urbanization in Kirehe District Kirehe District, like many other regions in the country, has experienced significant urbanization over the past few years. In Kirehe District, urbanization has been driven by a variety of factors, including economic development, population growth, and improved infrastructure. The District is home to several major economic activities, including agriculture, livestock, and trade, which have contributed to the growth of urban centers such as Kirehe town. Additionally, Kirehe District has benefited from increased investment in infrastructure, such as roads, schools, and healthcare facilities. This has made the area more attractive to businesses and residents, which has further fueled urbanization. However, as Kirehe District continues to urbanize, it also faces a number of challenges, including the need for affordable housing, adequate transportation, and sustainable urban Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 45 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 72 planning. The Government of Rwanda and local authorities are working to address these challenges and ensure that urbanization in Kirehe District is sustainable and inclusive. The hierarchy of urban settlements and trading centers is determined by their size in terms of population and land size, level of existing infrastructure and services, and the amount of trade and commercial activities prevailing. Kirehe District has three main urban areas; Kirehe Secondary City, known as Nyakarambi, and the three Rurbans Centers of Rusumo-Kiyanzi, Gahara-Dagaza and Nasho. However, there are other emerging trading centers which have been planned as rural settlement sites, for example Gasarabwayi, Kabuga, Gahara, Gatore, Kagese, Cyunuzi, Kigarama, Musaza, Nganda and Mpanga. Urbanization in Kirehe District is characterized by migration of people from rural to urban areas. Migration reinforces urban centers but, at the same time, deteriorates and weakens rural settlement by lack of investments and employment opportunities. Therefore, below is a map showing Kirehe District urban areas and other main trading centers. Map 9: Main Trade centres in Kirehe District 4.2.3.2 Planned Urbanization, Settlements and Housing As one of the future drivers of the country’s growth, the overarching objective is to have 70% of the population living in urban areas by 2050. The NLUDMP 2020-2050 recommends that Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 46 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 73 urban settlement boundaries should not be fixed ahead for long periods, as they can allow urban sprawl and can mislead local authority and stakeholders in infrastructure provision. Therefore the designation of boundaries have been demarcated for the period up to 2050 with indication of areas where developments other than agriculture or temporal infrastructures uses will be held up to 2035. In this regard, Kirehe DLUP has maintained three urban settlement areas, namely Kirehe Secondary City covering 1857.7 ha, and Rusumo-Kiyanzi Rurban Center covering 830.7 ha and Nasho Rurban Center covering 572.96 ha. However, in addition to the two Rurbans Centers proposed by the NLUDMP 2020-2050, a new Rurban Center was proposed by the Eastern Province and District authorities in the southern part of the District. The elevation from the status of a rural emerging center to a rurban center was motivated by its strategic location to fast growth from existing socio-economic facilities at Gahara such as administrative offices, health centre, trade center with market, agro- processing industries and other public facilities like schools and churches and specially Dagaza business center. NLA and Kirehe District conducted a site assessment and demarcated Gahara- Dagaza Rurban Center totaling 659 ha, raising the total rurban lands of Kirehe District to 2,063 hectares. The figures below show the settlement's structure and size that have been adopted through consultations at various levels with Kirehe District authorities and relevant local stakeholders. Map 10: Urban and rural Settlements Figure 13: Settlements Structure 4.2.3.3 Population, Urbanization, Settlement Spatial Compliance According to a new spatial structure for Rwanda introduced by the NLUDMP 2020-2050, all settlements – urban areas, rurban centers, and rural settlements – are part of the national spatial structure, envisioning rapid urbanization and a remarkable transformation of the settlement Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 47 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 74 structure in Rwanda by 2050. The NLUDMP 2020-2050 projected that by 2050, 70% of the population will reside in urban areas, while only 30% will live in rural areas. Currently, 27.9% of the population lives in urban areas, with 82.1% residing in rural areas, as reported by the recent census. This data illustrates the ongoing trend of rapid urbanization, which is expected to accelerate in the coming decades. This shift, from a largely rural population to a highly urbanized society, will have to happen progressively for the coming 25 years, throughout the planning horizon of the DLUPs. As per the NLUDMP 2020-2050, the DLUPs are based on the population projections for 2035 and 2050. In this regard, the designation of settlement boundaries for Kirehe District was made for the period up to 2035. Thus, Kirehe District spatial plan was developed with the intermediate target of the year 2035 to prevent disjointed developments and settlement sprawl within large areas. In addition, a mid-term review of the district spatial plan by 2035 provides the opportunity to adjust and adapt to changes and development trends not yet known or envisioned. According to the Census of 2022 and DLUP adjusted population projections, Kirehe District will still accommodate 357,004 inhabitants and 89,251 households in rural areas by 2035. However, the majority of rural residents will ultimately relocate to urban areas. Thus, the number and area size of rural settlement sites will reduce with time, with the opportunity to convert the land that becomes vacant for other uses, e.g. agriculture. The 2035 mid-term review will assess the level and progress of urbanization and propose the necessary adjustments and revisions of the spatial plans and rural settlement boundaries to accommodate the projected population and number of households for the second planning horizon 2035-2050. In parallel, as recommended by NLUDMP 2020-2050, Kirehe DLUP has spatially secured zoning for the projected 178,392 inhabitants, making 44,598 households for urban residents by 2035. However, within the urban boundary, land has been allocated for intermediate or transitional use, e.g. agriculture and agroforestry, to be converted once the level of urbanization requires additional land to be developed to accommodate the growing urban population. This will be assessed in the 2035 mid-term review, with the objective to convert land utilized for transitional use and guide the revision of the urban boundary for the next planning horizon 2035-2050. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 48 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 75 Thus, the district spatial plans provide land resources within the urban boundary that will both be of benefit to the urban population in the intermediate time, as well as provide flexibility in the spatial planning and development of the growing cities. During the implementation of the DLUP, densification will be encouraged even in low-density areas, supported by zoning regulations that allow increased density in these zones. The ground reality in 2035 will guide adjustments to land use zoning and inform the mid-term review to meet future needs and new land use requirements. This approach aims to boost urban populations while minimizing the expansion of rural settlement areas. The NLUDMP 2020-2050 provides the overall framework for the DLUPs. In addition, extensive field work, to understand the existing ground conditions and constraints, has informed and guided the land use planning in each District. More importantly, the responsibility and power vested by NLUDMP 2020-2050 to District Executive Committee and District Council for low-level statutory approval of the DLUP as well as a participatory planning approach, that has included local communities and residents, grass root local authorities, private sector, NGOs and government entities, has informed planning decisions, land allocation and demarcation of urban and rural settlement areas. Thus, the participatory approach has heavily influenced the DLUPs and spatial planning of the districts. In the end, as proposed by NLUDMP 2020-2050, the compliance will be conducted by tracking progress and controlling development through inspection and evaluation of the implementation of the DLUPs, which will continuously suggest areas of improvements according to planning defects, local trends and realities. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 49 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 76 The following table provides land allocation alignment of the DLUP 2023-2050 to NLUDMP 2020- 2050 directives and rationales specific to each settlement category: Settlement Type NLUDMP 2020-2050 directives DLUP 2023-2050 proposals Nbr Kirehe Secondary City 1 Area (2035) (km2) 21 Area (2050) (km2) 28 Pop Pop density Nbr Area 2035 (km2) Pop 2035 (&HHs) 300,000 10,714 1 18.29 135,850 ( 33,963) Area 2050 (km2) TBD Pop 2050 247,700 ● A city area is delineated for the first Midterm 2035 as recommended by NLUDMP; this means that there is a need for additional surface area to accommodate all 247,000 residents. The city area will be extended by revision by 2035 when the delineated area will be assessed as optimally used. Rurbans 2 N/A 8.4 49,314 5,871 3 20.63 42,542 (10,636) 20.63 79,500 ● A high increase of rurban gross area. This resulted firstly from the creation of a new Gahara-Dagaza rurban center of 6.6 km2 and secondarily from the initial site of Rusumo site which was also extended and connected to Kiyanzi site, a formerly rural settlement site, to include strategic infrastructures of one stop border post and dry ports in the one consolidated Rusumo-Kiyanzi rurban center boundary. ● The 3 rurban centres have large areas proposed for other land uses including public administration, public facilities, forests, transportation infrastructures (car parkings), light industrial zones, agriculture, and buffer zones. Therefore, in 20.6 km2 of total area planned for rurban centers only 12.84 km2 has been planned for settlements and infrastructures while only 8.37 km2 are land zoned as residential to accommodate projected population of 79,500 inhabitants. Total Urban areas 3 N/A 36.4 349,314 N/A 4 38.92 Rural sites settlement 141 N/A 58 310,000 5,345 110 88.91 178,392 (44,598) 357,004 (89,251) TBD 327,200 310,000 ● After analysis, the DLUP has consolidated the sprawled settlements sites and the number of sites has been reduced from 188 to 110, as recommended by NLUDMP 2020- 2050. The demarcated land area totaling 88.9 km2 for rural settlements is higher than the area of 58 km2. However, rural settlement sites have areas for other proposed land uses including public facilities, public administration, forest, transportation infrastructures (road reserves), light industrial zones, agriculture, open spaces, buffer zones. Therefore, out of 88.9 km2 of total area planned for rural settlements’ sites, 87.28 km2 has been planned for settlement and infrastructures while only 62.94 km2 are allocated for residential to accommodate the projected population of 310,000 inhabitants. The Mahama refugee settlement was a factor of increasing areas for rural settlements in the District which was not projected by NLUDMP 2020-2050. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 50 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 77 ● As recommended by NLUDMP 2020-2050, the rural settlement will be implemented in phases and their area reduced progressively by the revision of the DLUP by 2035 to adjust to 2050 horizon targets. The revision of the DLUP by 2035 will assess the progress of the settlement setting for further reduction of rural settlements site numbers and area allocated for rural settlements for 2035. ● The flexibility in consideration of the observed ground reality which provides a realistic picture supporting the land use planning vis-à-vis the already well planned and established rural settlement sites setting in the District. The Eastern Province Districts, especially Kirehe District, received a large number of refugees from repatriation of thousands of peoples/ families from the neighbouring Tanzania, a key factor in having a large number of currently densified rural settlement sites. ● Kirehe District's vision to become an agribusiness hub presents many opportunities and pulling factors, such as irrigation projects in many areas. This justifies Kirehe District attracting people and thus receiving a high number of immigrants from different regions of the country looking for good and brownfield agriculture land. The predominant subsistence farming will reduce to adapt to the new practice of agriculture mechanization. Table 7: Land allocation alignment of the DLUP 2023-2050 to NLUDMP 2020- 2050 Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 51 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 78 4.2.3.4 Kirehe Secondary City ● Geographical Location and Existing land use Kirehe Secondary City is one of eight Secondary Cities to be implemented in the second phase alongside Kayonza and Karongi. Kirehe Secondary City, also known as Nyakaramba, covers 1749.3 ha and extends on both Kirehe and Kigina Sectors. It includes Gatarama, Rwanteru, Rugarama, Ruhanga, Nyabikokora, Gahama and Kirehe Cells. The following set of maps are providing more details. Map 11: Kirehe Secondary City ● Kirehe Secondary City existing land use Kirehe has developed in a linear structure along the main road (Rusumu-Kigali), with agriculture and forest nestled within the settlement. Kirehe district town used to serve as the administrative center, is known as Nyakarambi, and hosts various governmental and administrative offices. The town's economy is primarily based on agriculture, which is the main economic activity in the Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 52 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 79 district. Kirehe town has essential infrastructure such as schools, health centers, markets, and roads connecting it to other parts of Rwanda and neighboring countries. The town has seen various development projects aimed at improving living standards and boosting economic activities. This includes efforts in improving infrastructure development, urban renovation, Kirehe District Secondary City is located near the border of Tanzania, Ngoma District Town and the international road that connects Rwanda and Tanzania. This location provides opportunities to develop trade and logistics in both countries and link different parts of the country with neighboring countries and to the port of Dar-Es-Salaam. It is also an advantage to promote the private sector and the possibility of developing other economic sectors like tourism, especially the tourists visiting Rusumo hydropower plant and other areas of Kirehe District. Current main land uses are agriculture and built up areas (encompassing commercial, residential, utilities, industries, public facilities, etc.) covering 40.4% and 41.9% respectively. Transportation and forest cover 7.2% and 10.4% respectively. Map 12: Existing Land Use in Kirehe Secondary City Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 53 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 80 ● Kirehe City Proposed Land Uses Kirehe DLUP identifies four zones along the main road Rusumo-Kigali: a Commercial corridor comprising a Central Business of the City and Mixed use commercial, residential zones development comprising Low Density residential zones, Medium and High density zones which will be developed at later phase, a variety of public facilities and infrastructures, public open spaces on both side of the main road as well as an industrial park proposed site. Kirehe DLUP enables a variety of housing typologies and residential densities to cater for a wide range of residents, households and income groups. As illustrated on the Table 8 and Figure 14 showing the proposed land uses in Kirehe Secondary City, the main proposed land uses are residential which covers 52.3% (971.5ha), agriculture covering 14.8% (275.4 ha), transportation covering 7.3% (135.3 ha), commercial zones covering 5.4% (101.1 ha), industrial zones covering 3.7%(68.7ha) and forests 11% (206 ha). Kirehe Secondary City has different catalytic projects intended to accelerate socio economic development of the city. The DLUP has proposed some catalytic projects to boost the development of the Secondary City including industrial park (62.5 ha), sport infrastructure (stadium and gymnasium), and a modern city market, Agakiriro is to be extended and higher learning institutions and high schools (TVET, School of Nursing) provided. In addition, there are social infrastructure projects like the waste collection center planned at Rugari/Kigarama to replace the existing Nyabikokora dumping site. Two cemeteries are proposed, one public and one private. Further, extension of commercial and mixed use zones, and renovation of the CBD are recommended in Kirehe Secondary City. Necessary amenities such as paved roads, public lights, drainage, and electricity will also be supplied to priority sites after developing detailed physical plans. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 54 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 81 Land Use Kirehe Secondary City Agriculture Commercial Forest Zoning A1-Agriculture zone C1-Mixed use commercial zone C3-City commercial zone F1-Forest plantation zone F5-Afforestation zone I1-Light industrial zone I2-General industrial zone Industrial Ecotourism and Open space OS-Open space, Ecotourism zone Public Administration PA-Public administration zone PF1-Education and research facilities PF2-Health facilities PF3-Religious facilities PF4-Cultural, Heritage, Memorial sites PF5-Sport, Leisure facilities PF6-Cemetery, Crematoria R1-Low density residential zone R1A-Low density residential densification zone R1B-Rural residential zone R2-Medium density residential - Improvement zone R3-Medium density residential - Expansion zone 245.2 T1-Road reserve T2-Bus terminals and stations U-Utility zone 134 1.3 0.1 39.7 Public Facilities Residential Transportation Public Utility Area Ha 1857.4 275.4 71.7 29.4 196.7 5.2 6.2 62.5 4.1 10.9 43.5 8.6 22.9 0.6 10.2 2.6 82.1 512.3 92.2 in Percentag e 100.0 14.8 3.9 1.6 10.6 0.3 0.3 3.4 0.2 0.6 2.3 0.5 1.2 0.0 0.5 0.1 4.4 27.6 5.0 2.1 13.2 7.2 0.1 0.0 SN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Table 8: Proposed Land Uses in Kirehe Secondary City Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 55 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 82 Map 13 : Kirehe Secondary City Proposed Land Use Figure 14: Kirehe Secondary City Proposed Land uses Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 56 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 83 4.2.3.5 Kirehe District Rurban Areas Rurban Centers are emerging centers of linkage between rural and urban areas. The following factors were considered when selecting the rurban settlements sites, taking into consideration the District Council guidance as follows: (i) Emerging existing potential trading centers; (ii) High pressure of growing residential settlements; (iii) Geographic location; (iv) Existing and developing infrastructures such as roads, waters, electricity, health facilities, employment opportunities, education facilities, etc. The NLUDMP 2020-2050 has identified Nasho and Rusumo-Kiyanzi as the Rurban Centres in Kirehe District. However, during the field data collection, after analyzing the rate of urbanization in Kirehe District together with local authorities, Gahara-Dagaza has also been approved as a new Rurban Center. a) Nasho Rurban Centre ● Location of Nasho Rurban Centre Nasho Rurban Centre is one of three Rurban Centres in Kirehe District, located in Nasho Sector which borders Kayonza District to the west. Nasho Rurban Centre extends on both Rubirizi and Rugoma Cells. Before the reform of administrative boundaries in 2005, the whole valley basin was covered by secteur (Segiteri) Nyarubuye, Gashiru and Ntaruka. In 1982, Rwandans were repatriated from Uganda and settled in nodes known as Nasho One and Nasho Two, with a small trading center named Murindi with some facilities including Murindi Health Center. All three sectors were merged into one, and took the common name “Nasho”. Due to the presence of water bodies (Lake Cyambwe and Nasho) and the fertile soil within the basin, Murindi center started to develop with high agricultural production and other activities like fishing. Agriculture and vacant land, with a big plot called Paysannat, attracted people from different regions. This migration led to concentration of people in Murindi center, where basic infrastructure such as Murindi Market and schools was distributed. Hence, Murindi Center is known as Nasho Rurban. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 57 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 84 Map 14: Localization of Nasho Rurban Center ● Nasho Rurban Center Existing Land Use Nasho Rurban Centre covers 573 ha. The current use is predominated by agriculture with a coverage of 70% (394.4 ha), while road networks and forest have the lowest coverage of 39.3 ha and 37.3 ha respectively. Besides agriculture, most of Nasho Rurban Centre is used for residential, commercial, and public facilities which covers 16% (93.0 ha) of the area. Agriculture activities are the core accelerating factor to the development of Nasho Sector and Nasho Rurban Centre. In 2014, modern agriculture started with irrigation as before small generators were used to irrigate the crops. The main agricultural crops in Nasho Sector are watermelon, tomatoes, soya beans, bananas and maize. People affected by the irrigation system project were relocated to Kagese/Dumuzas IDP model village and settled in 4-in-1 houses, located at Kagese site in Nasho Sector. The Kagese IDP model village has the main basic amenities including health post, playground, multipurpose hall, ECD, extension area, cowshed, light industry, and consolidated farms around, and market. As it was planned, the irrigation system has been handed to the citizens and is mostly Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 58 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 85 used and leased by cooperatives, every farmer is supposed to pay a maintenance fee equivalent to 103,000 RWF/ha and the lease fee per hectare is 800,000 RWF for the cooperative. Land Use Nasho rurban Agriculture Forest Transportation Built up area Area (ha) 564 394.4 37.3 39.3 93.04 % 100 70 7 7 16 Table 9: Existing Land Use in Nasho Rurban Center Map 15: Existing land use in Nasho ● Nasho Rurban Center Proposed Land Use The proposed land use in Nasho Rurban is based on the existing land use and proposed densification areas for residential use. The main proposed land uses are residential, which covers 51.8% (296.8 Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 59 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 86 ha), urban agriculture 25.8% (148.1ha), transportation covering 6.13% (35.12 ha) including roads and a proposed car parking, forest covering 7.8% (45 ha), and commercial zone covering 16 ha. An industrial zone has been allocated covering 11.6 ha. SN Land Use Zoning Category Area in Ha % Nasho Rurban Centre Agriculture Commercial Forest Industrial Public Administration Public Facilities Residential Transportation 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 A1-Agriculture zone C1-Mixed use commercial zone C3-City commercial zone F1-Forest plantation zone F5-Afforestation zone I1-Light industrial zone PA-Public administration zone PF1-Education and research facilities PF2-Health facilities PF3-Religious facilities PF5-Sport, Leisure facilities R1-Low density residential zone R1A-Low density residential densification zone R1B-Rural residential zone R2-Medium density residential - Improvement zone R3-Medium density residential - Expansion zone T1-Road reserve T2-Bus terminals and stations 572.86 148.1 11.57 4.52 41.21 3.69 11.62 0.36 9.12 1.1 6.18 3.43 33.82 176.77 11.63 8.15 66.47 33.04 2.08 100.0 25.9 2.0 0.8 7.2 0.6 2.0 0.1 1.6 0.2 1.1 0.6 5.9 30.9 2.0 1.4 11.6 5.8 0.4 Table 10: Proposed Land Use in Nasho Rurban Centre Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 60 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 87 Map 16: Proposed Land Use in Nasho Rurban Centre Figure 15: Distribution of Proposed Land Uses in Nasho Rurban Center Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 61 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 88 Nasho Rurban center will continue to grow, due to its location and various agricultural activities, tourism and other economic potentialities. The development of this center will be aligned with the country's Vision 2050 and Kirehe DDS. An agro-industrial park and a car park are planned within the Rurban center and to achieve those government programs, a modern market will be constructed in the Rurban Center, along the main roads linking Nasho Rurban Center to Kirehe Secondary City as well as Mpanga-Nasho-Kabarondo road in order to increase jobs creativity in Nasho Sector and in the neighboring Sectors of Nyarubuye, Mushikiri and Mpanga. The following catalytic and development projects are proposed to boost the development of Nasho Rurban Center: ● 11 ha agro-industrial park ● Modern Market ● Relocation of Agakiriro ● Car parking ● Construction of paved roads ● Construction of Nasho Youth Center ● District Hospital (2nd) b) Rusumo-Kiyanzi Rurban Center Rusumo-Kiyanzi rurban Center is located in both Kigarama and Nyamugari Sectors, starting from Mucyagisenyi up to the Rusumo border. The rurban is linear structured along the main road Kayonza-Rusumo. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 62 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 89 Map 17: Localization of Kiyanzi-Rusumo Rurban Center ● Existing land use in Rusumo-Kiyanzi Rurban Center Rusumo-Kiyanzi Rurban Centre covers 831.25 ha. It comprises two nodes of Rusumo and Kiyanzi. The area consists predominantly of the Rusumo One Stop border post, truck parking, MAGERWA, warehouses and stores, border facilities, public facilities and utilities like Rusumo power plant infrastructures, the new Rusumo cross border market and other buildings. Built up areas and agriculture are the main land uses, covering 39.6% and 28.4% respectively of the rurban land. Forest, transportation infrastructure, and water bodies like Akagera River cover 21.5%, 10.2% and 0.08% respectively. The below table and map explain and indicate the existing land use in Kiyanzi- Rusumo Rurban Center. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 63 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 90 Land Use Area in Ha Percentage Agriculture Built up Forest Transportation infrastructure Waterbodies 205.8 286.8 155.5 74 0.59 Table 11: Existing Land use in Rusumo-Kiyanzi (2022) 28.48 39.69 21.52 10.24 0.08 Map 18: Existing Land Use in Rusumo-Kiyanzi Rurban Center ● Rusumo-Kiyanzi Rurban Center Proposed Land Use The proposed land use in Rusumo-Kiyanzi is based on the existing land use and proposed densification areas for residential use. Due to its topographic constraints, the two nodes of Rusumo and Kiyanzi are separated by hills and high slopes which will keep the existing forest covering of 38.6% (321ha) constituting the main part of the rurban center including existing forest plantations and some areas allocated for afforestation. The second main proposed land use is residential which covers 28.2 % (234.3ha), followed by transportation which covers 98.4ha due to the existing roads, Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 64 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 91 ports and new proposed railway and car parking infrastructures, etc, and commercial zone covering 9% (75ha), industrial zone covering 1.7 % (13.87ha) and urban agriculture covering 4.4% (36.5ha). SN Land Use Category Zoning category Rusumo-Kiyanzi Rurban Center Agriculture Buffer 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Commercial Forest Industrial Residential Transportation A1-Agriculture zone B1-Wetland buffer zone B2-Water body buffer zone C1-Mixed use commercial zone C3-City commercial zone C4-Regional commercial zone (O-C4) F1-Forest plantation zone F4-Natural forest zone F5-Afforestation zone I1-Light industrial zone I3-Mining, Extraction, Quarry PA-Public administration zone PF1-Education and research facilities PF2-Health facilities PF3-Religious facilities PF5-Sport, Leisure facilities R1-Low density residential zone R1A-Low density residential densification zone R1B-Rural residential zone R2-Medium density residential - Improvement zone R3-Medium density residential - Expansion zone 37.3 78.3 T1-Road reserve 15.5 T2-Bus terminals and stations Area Ha 831.6 36.5 1.8 0.2 70.6 2 2.4 289.7 0.3 31.1 9 4.9 3.7 7.2 10.7 0.7 8.5 4.8 12.2 98.9 50.3 35.7 in % 100.00 4.39 0.22 0.02 8.49 0.24 0.29 34.84 0.04 3.74 1.08 0.59 0.44 0.87 1.29 0.08 1.02 0.58 1.47 11.89 6.05 4.29 4.49 9.42 1.86 0.55 1.74 0.02 25 26 27 Wetland Public Utility T4-Railway and stations U-Utility zone W1B-Wetland - Unprotected zone 4.6 14.5 0.2 Table 12: Proposed land uses in Rusumo-Kiyanzi Rurban Center Ecotourism and Open Spaces OS-Open space, Ecotourism zone Public Administration Public Facilities Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 65 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 92 Map 19: Proposed Land Use in Rusumo-Kiyanzi Rurban Center Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 66 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 93 Figure 16: Distribution of land Use zoning categories in Rusumo-Kiyanzi c) Gahara-Dagaza Rurban Center Gahara-Dagaza Rurban Center is a new rurban that was not proposed by the NLUDMP 2020-2050. However, through consultations with Kirehe District and the Eastern Province authorities, that was held in Rwamagana Eastern Province Headquarters, Gahara-Dagaza was confirmed as a Rurban Center. The demarcation of the new Rurban Center resulted in a change of the structure and number of rural settlement sites in Gahara Sector, with Butanga II being demarcated as a new settlement site of 36 ha in Nyakagezi Cell. Gahara-Dagaza Rurban Center is located in Gahara Sector. The new Rurban Center will benefit from its position in the District bordering Burundi and near a proposed Isaka-Kigali railway station. It is also located in the area with high potential of agriculture production mainly banana plantations, pineapples, beans and many others. Its specialization will mainly be built around agro-processing and cross border trade. Map 20: Gahara-Dagaza Rurban Center Location in the District Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 67 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 94 ● Existing land use in Gahara-Dagaza Rurban Center Gahara-Dagaza Rurban Center covers 721.5 ha and extends in three Cells of Gahara Sector (Murehe, Rubimba and Muhamba) grouping the areas that were before planned for rural settlement sites (Isangano, Gahara). The rurban will benefit from existing socio-economic facilities at Gahara and Dagaza centers such as administrative offices, Health Centre, trade center with market, agro- processing industries and other public facilities like schools and churches. Map 21: Existing land use in Gahara-Dagaza Rurban Center ● Gahara-Dagaza Proposed Land Use The planned land use in Gahara-Dagaza Rurban Center is based on the existing land use and proposed densification areas for residential use. As a Rurban Center, the main proposed land uses include low, medium and high density residential zones which occupy 46.45%, the rural residential areas covering 29.49%. The second zoning within the rurban centre boundary is agriculture covering 26.54% which should be used in the same way as the surrounding agricultural lands. Other land use Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 68 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 95 categories are transportation covering 10.2%, forests 7.2%, commercial zones covering 3.8%, and industrial zones covering 0.3%. SN General Land Use Zoning Gahara-Dagaza Rurban Center Area Ha 658.90 in % 100.00 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Agriculture Commercial Forest A1-Agriculture zone C1-Mixed use commercial zone F1-Forest plantation zone F5-Afforestation zone I1-Light industrial zone Industrial Public Administration PA-Public administration zone Public Facilities PF1-Education and research facilities PF2-Health facilities PF3-Religious facilities PF5-Sport, Leisure facilities PF6-Cemetery, Crematoria R1-Low density residential zone R1A-Low density residential densification zone R1B-Rural residential zone R2-Medium density residential - Improvement zone R3-Medium density residential - Expansion zone T1-Road reserve T2-Bus terminals and stations U-Utility zone Residential Transportation Public Utility 174.9 25.3 47.4 0.5 1.8 1.5 12 1.4 16.3 3.5 0.3 18.5 65.7 154.8 17.7 49.4 67.2 0.2 0.5 26.54 3.84 7.19 0.08 0.27 0.23 1.82 0.21 2.47 0.53 0.05 2.81 9.97 23.49 2.69 7.50 10.20 0.03 0.08 Table 13: Gahara-Dagaza Proposed zoning categories Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 69 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 96 Map 22: Planned land use in Gahara-Dagaza Rurban Center Figure 17: Proposed land uses in Gahara-Dagaza Rurban Center Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 70 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 97 d) Future development of Rusumo-Kiyanzi and Gahara-Dagaza Rurban Centers Rusumo-Kiyanzi and Gahara-Dagaza Rurban Centers have in common that they are located in the southern part of the District alongside the Akagera River, on the border of Tanzania and Burundi. For this reason, they share some of the main opportunities resulting from the cross border situation. As a railway is perceived as a key driving force for economic development, especially for landlocked countries such as Rwanda where import and export use road transportation to reach the seaports, both Rurban Centers will have a railway section (Isaka-Kigali) passing through, crossing the southern part of the District and with stations planned in the two Sectors respectively, which will impact positively the development of both rurban centers. Car parking, and modern markets are planned in the two Rurban Centers along the main road linking the District and the Rurbans to neighboring centers and to the Districts of Kayonza and Ngoma, to ensure public and private transport sustainability in Kirehe District. More specifically, the following projects are proposed to boost the development of Rusumo-Kiyanzi Rurban Center: ● Extended commercial and mixed use zones ● Boosting and fully operational Rusumo Regional cross-border market ● Study for the construction of a needed airstrip ● Railway station The following projects are proposed to boost the development of Gahara-Dagaza Rurban Center: ● Renovation and upgrading of existing market ● Construction of a proposed car park ● Planned asphalt road, railway line and railway station ● Planned border post with Burundi 4.2.3.6 Rural settlement development a) Rural settlement analysis in Kirehe The rural settlements system suffers traditionally from continuous isolation of homesteads which prevents improvement in agricultural yield and inefficient supply of services and infrastructure. An audit survey prepared in 2019 by RHA and NLA shows that 210,000 houses out of 570,000 have Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 71 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 98 been found out of settlement plans in a sample of Districts. In 2017-18, the spatial analysis of land use plans (urban and rural villages’ sites) showed that among 82% of total Rwandans living in rural areas, 69.2% were accommodated in 13,661 rural settlement sites. A variety of Imidugudu and scattered single-family homesteads in rural areas do not favor economies of scale. Therefore, the transformation of rural settlement structure is needed in Rwanda in order to improve on efficient land use planning and to avail and protect as much as possible of agricultural land and promote densification of dwellings in rural settlements. Most agricultural arable land and other land keep on shrinking due to the 13,661 Imidugudu currently scattered on 11,000 km². The rural population is 9,545,149 with 2,348,456 households. The average size of an Umudugudu in Rwanda is, therefore, 80.5 ha, containing 777 people on average, which is about 172 households. The development of rural settlements in Kirehe District has been influenced by a combination of historical, geographic and socio-economic policies. The rural settlement patterns was made up of 188 sites in Kirehe District covering 9,589 ha, and mostly well grouped like in Mpanga, Nasho, Nyamugali and Mahama sectors, linear especially in Nyarubuye and Mushikiri sectors, scattered in Gahara, Musaza and Kigarama sectors. Kirehe District is developing grouped settlements by implementing 2-in-1 and 4-in-1 housing through IDP model villages. Currently, Kirehe District has three IDP model villages including Cyambwe IDP, Bukora IDP, and Mpanga IDP. The latter is settled by people relocated from high risk zones and accommodates 78 households having access to required services (pillars) including cowshed, ECD, hall, farms and Agakiriro. Every settlement site with respect to administrative boundaries has its own landmark known as ‘igicumbi”. The photo below shows a typical IDP model village of Kirehe District. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 72 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 99 Figure 18: A 4-In-1 IDP Model Village b) Proposed Rural settlement consolidation The NLUDMP 2020-2050 proposed 141 rural settlement sites covering 58 km2 in Kirehe District. During the elaboration of Kirehe DLUP, rural settlement sites have been frozen and reduced to 110 sites covering 88.9 km2 (8,891.54 ha). As indicated in Table 14, of the 110 sites, 81 have access to water utilities, and 71 sites have access to electricity. 39 sites have access to healthcare facilities and 21 additional health posts have been proposed in different rural settlement sites. Most sites have access to education facilities, whereby 45 sites have access to ECD, with 58 additional ECD’s proposed in different rural settlement sites. 67 sites have access to primary schools with an additional 4 primary schools proposed to ensure high accessibility. 47 sites have access to secondary schools, with 3 new secondary schools having been proposed. Around 105 rural settlement sites have no TVET schools, as only 4 have TVET and other two have been proposed. In Kirehe District, cowsheds are not sufficient compared to the selected rural settlement sites. They will be proposed during detailed site plans. Currently, only 13 sites have public cowsheds. Village meetings are still organized and held under trees, at the Cells or at playgrounds. Currently, 18 sites have multipurpose halls which need to be upgraded to standard recommendations, with 32 multipurpose halls having been proposed in different sites. Citizens are using commercial centers as their daily shopping hall, only 31 sites have access to local market/selling points. However, 29 local markets and selling points have been proposed within the sites, especially in commercial areas (C1). Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 73 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 100 Public cemeteries are still a critical issue in Kirehe District, where homes and farms are used as graves. Currently, 9 sites have access to the cemeteries, but 50 new cemeteries have been proposed in the rural settlement sites. The existing dumping site in Kirehe Sector is located in Nyabikokora Cell. Outside the Secondary City, organic waste is used for farming purposes as fertilizers. To preserve the environment and mitigate pollution, 21 Collection Centers have been proposed in the rural settlement sites. For recreation, 57 sites have access to playgrounds and 17 new playgrounds have been proposed in the rural settlement sites. Existing playgrounds need to be upgraded to the recommended standard. Kirehe District has many religious facilities whereby 91 sites have access to religious facilities. ADEPR, Catholic, Adventist and EAR churches are predominant in Kirehe rural settlement sites. Any additional and new religious facility will be conditionally allowed in settlements according to zoning regulations. The chat and map below show the distribution of Kirehe rural settlement sites across the District. No Utilities Infrastructures and Yes No Proposed 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 IDP MV Roads Electricity Water Health Facilities (HP) 39 ECD Primary School Secondary School TVET School Market Cowshed Multi-purpose Hall Churches 45 67 47 4 31 13 18 91 3 107 107 110 0 71 81 39 29 50 55 40 61 0 39 29 21 55 4, however, Proposed schools at Public facilities section N/A N/A 2 51 97 61 20 28 97 61 N/A Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 74 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 101 14 15 16 Cemetery 9 52 50; however it is a shared public facility by two or more sites Waste Center Collection 0 90 21 Playground 57 37 17, however it is a Public facility that be shared by two or more sites Table 14: Rural settlements sites accessibility to basic infrastructure, services/social amenities Out of the 12 Sectors in Kirehe District, Mpanga, Gahara and Gatore Sectors have a high number of rural settlement sites (20, 15 and 13 respectively). However, Nasho, Kirehe and Nyamugari Sectors have few rural settlement sites (5, 6 and 6 respectively). This is because Gahara and Mpanga are the largest Sectors in the District, and Nasho and Kirehe Sectors have urban areas which are not part of the rural settlement sites. The figure below shows the distribution of rural settlement sites in the Kirehe District. Map 23: Distribution of Kirehe rural settlement sites Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 75 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 102 Map 24: Rural settlement sites connectivity to Water Map 25: Rural settlement sites connectivity to electricity Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 76 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 103 Map 26: Water and Electricity Supply infrastructures to rural settlement sites The NLUDMP recommends: (1) The number of households per rural settlement must grow by three to four times, from 172 today to 550; (ii) Each rural settlement site at Cell level will have public and social amenities such as sports, recreational and leisure space, school and ECD, community health post, roads, market, cowsheds, etc. The specific location for these social facilities will be determined by a detailed site plan; (iii) The arable land per rural settlement will be around 420 ha on average; (iv) Individual farming in small holdings of around 0.4 ha will discontinue, and different kind of economic cooperation will be organized to reach 1.5 ha per household in the future; (v) Five production units of 110 households (about 84 ha) will be established in each settlement; (vi) Yields improvements will be achieved due to agglomeration of forces and economies of scale. The District’s economic and social development goals will be achieved by strengthening the access to infrastructure and services, such as safe piped drinking water, electricity lines/power, reliable transportation, and modern communication and healthcare facilities, starting from rural areas particularly focusing on healthcare and education services. Rural settlements sites that are planned, must be reinforced toward the IDP model villages by incorporating the components which is scaling up the social-economic life of communities, through: ● Mobilizing communities through education and training to be more self-reliant and contribute to their own social and economic uplifting. ● Reforming rural settlements: create larger, well organized settlements that can be better serviced with critical social infrastructure (e.g. health centers, schools, community and sports centers, access roads) and modernizing rural communities through the introduction of common infrastructure, Information Communication Technologies (ICT), and the promotion of financial services that will support micro and small enterprises. Increasing agricultural productivity through the use of better technologies and more efficient use of natural resources. ● ● Raising rural incomes through the introduction of value-added activities that include agro-processing, off- farm activities, and facilitation of rural-urban trade. ● Strengthening social integration, cohesion and solidarity. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 77 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 104 ● National distribution of rural population in 2050 The NLUDMP 2020-2050 proposed the following actions to address the issue of excessive rural settlement sites. The gross land size per household is 0.46 ha, including the house and farm. However, the land distribution among farmers should change by 2050, where land allocated for agriculture should be 1,243,300 ha nationally. Considering an estimated rural population of 6,6 million, or 1.650 million households, gross land size per household will increase by 65% to 0.76 ha. However, the geographical distribution of the rural population will change significantly. According to the NLUDMP 2020-2050, all land in Rwanda has been classified into three different land use categories. LUCA A is dominated by prime agricultural land, LUCA B includes prime agricultural land but more scattered, and LUCA C is a blend of open landscape elements, including grasslands and forests. The assumption is that the rural population will be distributed proportionally to the future agricultural land according to the LUCA. In LUCA A, the population will grow by 41% due to the availability of prime land. In LUCA B the population remains static, and the most significant change is in LUCA C, where the rural population decreases by more than a million, to 17.6% of its current population. There is an urgent need to consolidate and freeze the rural settlement sites sprawl. Rural settlement will feed urban areas. Therefore, the 2050 projected rural population of 6.6 million (30%) will be clustered into about 3,000 settlement sites. An average, 1 or 2 rural settlement site(s) per Cell is required depending on the topography of the area. Where the topography is not favorable, proposed sites can be shifted to other nearby Cells that fulfill the conditions. This calls for the Districts to enlist all the best settlement sites per District, and select those suitable based on NLUDMP 2020- 2050 parameters and criteria. All total rural settlement sites' gross boundaries should not exceed 1,241 km2 by 2050, from about 1,500 km2 of 2019. Housing density in rural settlement sites will increase considerably. High density housing models are recommended in rural areas, including exploiting the underground. Decreasing the size of rural residences from 615m2 to 300m2, and introducing the dwelling models of 4-in-1 and 8-in-1 (and other high-density models) is to be promoted. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 78 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 105 Dwelling models that utilize a plot size of less than 300m2 are also encouraged. To decrease the size of rural residences, the target lot size per household is based on two dwelling units per plot of 500m2 and a residential density of minimum 40 units/ha. This results in a 250m2 plot size per household. Hence, this target cannot be expected to be fully applied. If 20% of the housing stock will remain on a current average plot size of 500 m2, then 80% of the new Imidugudu in 4-in-1 or 8-in-1 typology will be developed on a plot size of 300 m². The accumulated net residential area in the new compact Imidugudu system will be 49,500 ha (495 km²). The gross area will be 1,241 km² (495 km² x ~2.5), including roads, open space, agricultural processing facilities, and public services. Hence, the average size for one Umudugudu is 0.4 km². ● Mahama Refugee Camp and Mwoga Rural Settlement site Mahama Refugee camp is located in Mwogo rural settlement site, Mahama Sector. It covers 196.24 ha. Mahama Refugee Camp is a home for thousands, mainly Congolese and Burundian refugees who are displaced by war and political turmoil in their native countries. The camp has access to public facilities including healthcare, education, sports and leisure, religious facilities, public offices and UN offices. It has three healthcare facilities including two of Alight and one of Save the Children. The Camp has three markets, two playgrounds and seven CFS parks for children. Mahama Refugee Camp is expected to be only one refugee camp in Rwanda. However, there is no extension planned for the camp. The camp has no access to on-grid electricity, but uses gas for daily domestic activities including cooking. The residents must arrange themselves with off-grid systems. There are five ECD’s for children within the camp, and primary and secondary school in close proximity to the camp. Every building block has its own waste collection center site. The camp has one cemetery, and there is no vacant land to expand the cemetery inside the camp. Therefore, once it is fully occupied, they will share the cemetery with local communities in Mwogo site. Mahama contributed to the development of two trading centers with markets at Kabeza and Munini, in Mahama Sector. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 79 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 106 ● Mahama Refugee camp and Mwoga rural settlement site future land use This DLUP has allocated a special zoning plan for the area. Mahama Refugee Camp will be upgraded and vertically constructed (multi-story) to ensure densification as well as efficient use of land. Therefore, the camp has been zoned as a Medium Density Residential Improvement Zone (R2). Map 27: Planned land uses in Mwoga Settlement-Mahama Refugee Camp Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 80 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 107 Figure 19: Special Zoning categories in Mwoga-Mahama settlements 4.2.4 Housing 4.2.4.1 Existing housing situation in Kirehe District In Kirehe District, buildings are mostly built in rectangular or square shape, used for residential, commercial, religious, industrial, storage, administrative and education purposes. The housing stock consists of both single houses, detached, and semi-detached houses. Currently, there is one apartment building in Kirehe District known as Sun City which is three stories (G+2) and Kirehe District Office which is two floors (G+1). Manpower is mostly used in building construction, and the condition of the buildings is good with strong and guaranteed construction materials. In Kirehe District, stones are used for foundation, bricks/rukarakara, wood and mud for walls, iron sheets and tile sheets for roofing. However, tile sheets are found in the Gahara Sector. The settlement structures are 'extensive', in a sense that density of buildings is low. Most houses are built on plots of 500 m2 and some houses have been built for renting purposes, especially in the commercial center. The photos below show the existing condition and status of Kirehe typical houses. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 81 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 108 Figure 20: Residential single house Type in rural settlement sites Figure 21: Rural IDP Model Village type-Four in One Figure 22: Residential Single family in the City Figure 23: A G+2 Commercial building (CBD) Sector Gahara Gatore Kigarama Kigina Kirehe Mahama Mushikiri Musaza Mpanga Population 2022 44,462 Existing Housing units in Urban areas 0 Existing Housing units in rural settlement sites 7,021 31,687 37,136 34,642 29,547 81,014 0,173 30,095 32,841 0 929 2,306 1,829 0 0 0 0 6,308 5,254 3,384 3,810 5,542 4,320 5,300 7,069 Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 82 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 109 Nyamugali Nyarubuye Nasho Kirehe District 33,665 42,938 2,660 460,860 1,829 0 2,177 2,177 26,041 4,475 1,685 6,160 Table 15: Existing housing stock in Kirehe District 4.2.4.2 Kirehe planned housing stock Housing is the largest land consumer in every settlement. Therefore, it is essential to base future demands on desired and sustainable housing types that fit the lifestyle of future Rwandans. Within this context, the size, model, and tenure of dwelling needed for 2050 are essential. Six purposes drive this section: ● Characterization of housing types in 2050 by spatial and architectural parameters ● Match housing types with settlement categories, for maximum suitability. ● Assessment of the demands for housing types, based on population targets in each district ● Measurements of land requirements for residential areas by 2050 ● Extrapolating the land requirements for residential areas to land requirements for entire cities. ● Feeding all this information into NLUDMP 2020-2050, making room for settlements of all kinds, The target in the housing sector is a steady annual increase of building on one hand and access to housing mortgages on the other hand. A second target is to develop new local construction materials and housing typologies. The achievement of these targets will be the backbone for the roll-out of affordable and decent housing countrywide. The NLUDMP 2020-2050 recommends considering mixed-use urban development in which a real estate in a city or suburb can blend different functions such as residential, commercial, cultural, institutional, etc. into one block. Five housing categories are proposed to be considered by local-level planning to achieve the desired consolidation and agglomeration as presented in the following figure 8. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 83 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 110 Figure 24: Dwelling units needed in Rwanda by 2050- Source: NLUDMP 2020-2050 4.2.4.3 Proposed Housing Typologies in Kirehe District The NLUDMP 2020-2050 proposes that given the future demographic trends and the high housing needs that require a large housing stock and space, it is strongly recommended to develop vertical housing infrastructure in urban and rural areas in the form of multi-family apartments and socio- economic infrastructure. As presented on the figure 8 above, the NLUDMP 2020-2050 has defined housing typologies (A+, A, B, C, D) to achieve the optimal and efficient use of land. These typologies have been translated into more comprehensive residential and housing typologies, as established by the land use and zoning regulations to guide the development of residential areas across the country. Thus, the DLUP implemented the NLUDMP 2020-2050 proposed densification by grouping them into different residential categories as Low Density (R1, R1A), Medium Density (R1B, R2 & R3) and High Density (R4). Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 84 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 111 Related Zone/DLUP R1 Densities (DU/ha) Lot size (m2) 10-15 500 R1A 20-30 300 R1B 40-70 150 R2 60-100 200 R3 60-90 100 R4 90+n 750 Max no. floors G+2+P G+2+P G+2 max G+3 max G+3 max G+n Table 16: Residential zone categories with respective densification 4.2.4.4 Proposed dwelling units in Kirehe District According to NLUDMP 2020-2050, by 2050, Kirehe District will have 159,125 dwelling units whereby 61,750 dwelling units will be located in Kirehe Secondary City, 19,875 dwelling units in Rurban Centers, and 77,500 dwelling units in rural settlement sites. To comply with NLUDMP 2020-2050 directives, proposed dwelling units were calculated based on land allocated for residential zones in urban, rurban and rural settlements areas. As highlighted in the table below, dwelling units are presented as per residential category and to the areas reserved for residential zones. In urban areas, based on projections of households (HH) as per NLUDM 2020-2050, there will be 81,625 dwelling units by 2050. And as there will be a movement of people from rural to urban areas, the DLUP has planned to accommodate 95,407 dwelling units (maximum density) to be able to accommodate the high influx of people who will continuously migrate to urban areas. In rural settlement sites, the DLUP plans to accommodate 77,500 dwelling units by 2050. However, as proposed by the NLUDMP 2020-2050, the process of restructuring the Imidugudu system into organized clusters will need to be undertaken continuously throughout the next 30 years. Thus, people will move progressively from rural to urban areas looking for employment and other opportunities in the rural areas. A total number of 243,173 dwelling units (minimum density) are enabled by the plan and will be decreased progressively to 77,500 dwelling units by 2050, as recommended by the NLUDMP 2020-2050 for Kirehe District. This will be assessed during the revision of the DLUP in 2035 to determine whether residential areas previously occupied can be dedicated to agriculture zones. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 85 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 112 Settlement category No. of DU by 2050 (NLUDMP 2020-2050) Residenti al category Area (ha) No. DU (min. density) No. of DU (max. density) No. of DU (medium density) % of area Secondary City 61,750 Sub-Total Rurbans 19,875 Sub-Total Sub-Total (City+Rurbans ) Rural settlements Sub-Total 81,625 77,500 Total 159,125 R1 R1A R1B R2 R3 R1 R1A R1B R2 R3 R1A R1B 82.09 512.31 92.24 39.68 245.21 971.54 65.2 340.6 216.7 61.6 153.2 837 821 10,246 3,690 2,381 14,713 31,850 652 6,811 8,669 3,697 9,190 29,019 1,231 15,369 6,457 3,968 22,069 49,095 978 10,217 15,171 6,162 13,784 46,312 1,026 12,808 5,073 3,175 18,391 40,473 815 8,514 11,920 4,929 12,253 38,431 1,809 60,869 95,407 78,904 59.60 6,050 6,109 7,918 1,192 241,981 243,173 304,042 1,788 423,467 425,255 520,662 1,490 332,724 334,214 413,118 2.54 31.65 12.53 7.84 45.44 100.00 2.12 22.15 31.02 12.83 31.88 100.00 0.45 99.55 100 Table 17: Housing Stock/Proposed Residential zones and Number of Dwelling units ● Rural Residential Zone (R1B) The Rural Residential Zone (R1B) is a residential zone offering compact developments in rural areas. The R1B Zone is intended to offer low rise housing as part of the farming community and complementary public facilities as needed. The purpose is to create a sustainable and compact residential settlement in the rural settlement sites and the rural areas of the city, limiting encroachment towards the fertile agricultural land. Within the R1B zone, all types of single family houses and multi-family housing as per the IDP Model Villages. Targeted density is 40-70 DU/ha for single use, and 30-50 DU/ha for mixed-use. The maximum number of stories allowed for single-family is two (2) equalling G+1, and three (3) for all other typologies (G+2). Maximum plot size for row housing or single-family units is 150m2. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 86 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 113 Figure 25: Example of housing typology in R1B zone ● Low-Density Residential Densification Zone (R1A) The Low-Density Residential Densification Zone (R1A) is a residential zone for semi detached houses, single family townhouses, multifamily houses, and low-rise developments. The R1A zone is intended to offer low and medium rise housing and complementary commercial and public facilities as needed. The lot sizes in the R1A zone are smaller than in the Low Density Residential Zone (R1), to distinguish the R1A zone as a higher density low rise residential neighbourhood. The purpose is to promote more efficient use of the lands in prime areas of the city or town by allowing for intensification and mix of uses of the existing low-density housing development. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 87 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 114 Targeted density is 20-30 DU/ha for single use, and 15-20 DU/ha for mixed-use. The maximum number of stories allowed are three (3) plus an additional penthouse floor (G+2+P). Maximum plot size is 300m2. Figure 26: Example of housing typology in R1A zone Figure 26: Example of housing typology in R1A (G+1) ● Low-Density Residential Zone (R1) The Low-Density Residential Zone (R1) is for single family housing, e.g. stand-alone villa or bungalow, and complementary commercial and public facilities as needed. The zoning is limited to existing consolidated areas with the objective of limiting low-density urban development and encouraging compact and dense developments. In all R1 zones, R1A regulations are permitted (see R1A). Maximum plot size is 500m2. For plots bigger than 500m2, existing developments can retain their use. For plots less than 300m2, R1A regulations shall apply. For single family use a density of maximum 10-15 DU/Ha is allowed. For mixed-use developments a density of maximum 7-10 DU/ha is allowed. The maximum number of stories allowed are three (3) plus an additional penthouse floor (G+2+P). Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 88 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 115 Figure 27: Example of housing typology in R1 zone ● Medium Density Residential - Improvement Zone (R2) The Medium Density Residential - Improvement Zone (R2) is intended for upgradation of unplanned settlements or redevelopment of urban renewal areas, wherever feasible in the brownfield sites. A variety in housing typologies and developments are encouraged, intended to stimulate the upgrading, redevelopment, and densification of these areas. Stand-alone single family housing is however not allowed. The objective is to improve the overall physical appearance of the area as well as improve living conditions for residents. By enabling upgrades in the short term, and redevelopment through land assembly in the medium-long term, developable land in prime areas of the city can be better utilized to create integrated and affordable neighborhoods and provide adequate infrastructure and public facilities. Within the R2 zone, multi-family housing as well as single family row houses are allowed. In addition, complementary commercial and public facilities are allowed as needed. The maximum plot size for a row house is 200m2. The maximum number of stories allowed are four (4) equaling (G+3). One (1) extra floor may be permitted if allowed by topographical conditions. For single family use a density 60-100 DU/Ha is allowed. For mixed-use developments a density of 40-70 DU/Ha is allowed. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 89 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 116 Figure 28: Example of housing typology in R2 zone ● Medium Density Residential - Expansion Zone (R3) The R3 residential zone allows for densification and redevelopment of peri-urban and green field areas and a variety of housing typologies. The zoning is intended to stimulate development of low- cost incremental housing, to facilitate the provision of affordable housing dedicated to the low- income segment of the population. To ensure a mix of use and mix of income, several housing typologies are allowed including self-build to cater for the lowest income segment. The R3 zones are located in peri-urban areas, in close proximity to the proposed transit corridors, hence a minimum development quantum is required. In all R3 Zones, R2 regulations are permitted. For single use, a density of 60-90 Du/ha is required. For mixed use, a density of 40-70 Du/ha is required. The maximum plot size for single family incremental housing in new subdivision plans is 100m2, and 150m2 for rowhouses. The maximum number of stories allowed are four (4), equaling (G+3). One (1) extra floor may be permitted if allowed by topographical conditions. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 90 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 117 Figure 29: Example of housing typology in R3 zone For all residential categories, the District will apply rainwater harvesting principles for housing developments: Every house or drainage system will have a tank and pond to collect its roof water and any other stormwater from the residential area to the public drainage system. I.e. Storm water will flow from upstream sectors including Mpanga and Nasho to downstream sectors to join Akagera River. 4.2.5 Urban design An urban design proposal for Kirehe Secondary City was developed based on the existing situation, the character, its development progress in recent years, and the land use plan. The urban design concept promotes public spaces for different activities, recreational open spaces, public plazas, active frontages, walkways, cycle lanes and non-motorized transport. 4.2.5.1 Kirehe City existing urban area situation The urban design area creates an urban corridor, linking the western and eastern parts of the Kirehe City, integrating existing commercial developments, public spaces, functions and facilities into the design. In the city center, a site currently occupied by a playground was selected to host a multipurpose youth center. A public park is proposed in the front of the District Headquarters, adding to the open space network in the city. Apartment buildings are proposed to utilize the central location with access to services and leisure. To the east, space has been reserved for a stadium. Continuous sidewalks, bicycle lanes, pedestrian bridges for safe crossing, lighting, trees, greenery, and street furniture further adds to the urban character enabling a people-oriented, varied and vibrant area. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 91 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 118 A video illustrating the urban design interventions in Kirehe Secondary City is available via NLA website, www. lands.rw. Figure 30: Kirehe City design 4.2.5.2 Kirehe City urban streets designs Road proposals as urban design component in Kirehe Secondary City (National road design) Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 92 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 119 Road proposals as urban design component in Kirehe Secondary City (District road design) Road proposals as urban design component in Kirehe Secondary City (neighbourhood access road design) Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 93 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 120 Figure 31: Kirehe City urban streets designs 4.2.5.3 Kirehe Green Transportation Scheme Green transport means any mode of transport that is powered by an alternative power source, alternative fuel of physical human force such that, when in operation, it produces minimal or no greenhouse gasses. The benefits of green transportation is a reduced dependence on nonrenewable energy sources and decreased demand on fuel and gasoline. Greenhouse emissions from burning gasoline and diesel contribute to global warming and climate change. The health risks from pollution include increased hospitalizations and deaths. Numerous diseases are linked to air pollution, such as lung cancer, respiratory infection, and stroke and health disease. In addition, an increase in public transport and NMT will reduce the number of vehicles on the roads and reduce traffic congestion. Compared with private cars, public transportation reduces CO2 emissions by 45%, decreasing pollutants in the atmosphere and improving air quality. As electric rail travel and electric buses increase in use, the benefits to the environment from public transportation also increase. For developing countries, it is expected that with an increase in wealth, there could be a shift from NMT to motorized transport. To ensure that Kirehe District has a sustainable transportation system, Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 94 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 121 the existing culture of walking and cycling needs to be maintained and further encouraged, including: To ensure that Kirehe DLUP has a sustainable transport system, the existing culture of walking and cycling, as a form of transport in the District, needs to be maintained and further encouraged. Some techniques to do this are: • A dedicated NMT network • Promotion of public health campaigns encouraging walking and cycling; • Provision of signage/wayfinding; • Improvements to pedestrian access/quality (e.g. safe crossings, tactile paving, dropped kerbs, disabled access, lighting); • Ensure NMT priority at intersections; • Consider NMT only areas within the CBD and other focused areas; • Provision of appropriate numbers, type and location of cycle parking facilities (e.g. covered and secure); • On-site bicycle repair service; In order to align with the transport goals and objectives, the following key strategies and key performance indicators were developed for the green transport enabling strategy in Kirehe District. Green Transport Plan – Key Strategies Key Performance Indicators (KPI) ● Develop a city-wide NMT network, which supports the public transport system. ● Develop a Non-Motorized Transport (NMT) network along arterial and collector roads ● Develop a strategic approach to providing pedestrian amenities, such as trees and street furniture. ● Develop a pleasant streetscape, especially along the NMT network ● Develop a well-connected NMT network that utilizes open spaces and the road network ● Develop a pedestrian-friendly street design guidance manual for use in residential and urban commercial settings ● Develop a green network connecting green zones through NMT ● Number of developed NMT network ● Number and length of a Non-Motorized Transport (NMT) network section ● Number and quality of developed road design manuals and guidelines ● Number and quality of developed pleasant streetscape along the NMT network ● A model design of NMT network that utilizes open spaces and the road network ● Number and quality of developed pedestrian- friendly street design guidance manual, transport legislation and guidelines ● Number of developed green network connectors Table 18: Key Strategies of Green Transport Plan 4.2.6 Perspectives for Green Urbanization and Green Growth in Kirehe Secondary City This economic development in Rwanda has set off a construction boom in the capital city Kigali and the six Secondary Cities (Huye, Muhanga, Musanze, Rubavu, Rusizi and Nyagatare). Buildings Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 95 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 122 are large consumers of energy, both during construction and when in operation. Green buildings are therefore key for long-term sustainability and to ensure high quality of life. Under the National Roadmap for Green Secondary City Development, Building and Construction has been identified as one of the key pillars to achieve green urbanization. The roadmap proposes the promotion of green building designs, use of locally produced sustainable materials for construction, and development of a local green building certification system. To ensure the green urbanization and green growth of Kirehe DLUP, the District will promote the Green Growth Initiatives introduced by Rwanda with partners such as GGGI. Some of Green Growth Initiatives for the District will include amongst others, the following: ● Reducing the pressure on Kirehe Secondary City by promoting the development of selected Rurban Centers and rural settlement sites; ● Implementing green area design plans; ● Operationalizing the initiative of “Kirehe Itoshye”; ● Capacity Building for District and Sectors Officials on green growth and urbanization ● Supporting the leveraging of Green Growth financing ● Adopting and Implementing the Integrated Planning and Data Management 4.3 Transportation Plan in Kirehe District The movement of people and goods is made possible through various modes of transportation. Trade and tourism activities cannot be fully optimized without an efficient transportation system. The transport development strategies should aim at reducing travel time to facilitate doing business. In addition to expanding road infrastructure, there is a need to develop railway and water transport infrastructures, to ensure integrated multi-modal transport, resulting in lower transport costs as well as making Rwanda industrialization to be regionally competitive. Rwanda has a very dense road network coverage, which explains the scattered nature of settlements. This is very costly in terms of service provision and maintenance. The existing road network in Rwanda measures 37,896 km (44,669 km including paths), and a new national road hierarchy is proposed to achieve the desired Vision 2050. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 96 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 123 4.3.1 Existing situation There are two transportation modes in Kirehe District, with land (road) transportation being the predominant mode for local and international travel. The District is linked by road to the port in Dar-es-Salaam at an approximate distance of 1,430 km. Like other Districts, modernizing the transportation infrastructures and services aims to achieve the socio-economic development objectives of the District. The Ministerial Order Nº01/Cab.M/015 OF 03/02/2015 determined the classification and naming of roads falling into the two first categories of National Roads (25 roads) and District Road Class 1 (108 roads). Kirehe District has two National Roads (Ngoma-Rusumo with 39 km (NR4) and Nasho-Mpanga-Nyamugali with 62 km (NR25)), and two District Roads Class 1 (Gituku- Nyarubuye-Rwanteru-Musaza-Curazo-Gahara with 83 km (DR66) and Nyamugali-Kamombo with 20 km (DR67)). This ministerial order does not show roads in the category of District and City of Kigali roads and that of other urban areas - Class 2. Buses and minibusses are the most common form of public transport in the District. A few areas, like Kirehe City/Nyakarambi-Gatore-Kigali, Kirehe City/Nyakarami, Kirehe City-Nasho, and Kirehe City-Mahama are frequented or served by the regular bus services connecting to nearby rural centers and other cities in the Eastern Province and beyond. Similar to other Districts in the Eastern Province, bicycle transport is prevalent in the emerging centers and the Secondary City as an affordable, efficient and environmentally friendly transport system. 4.3.1.1 Road Condition in Kirehe District Kirehe District has a good road network connecting all the Sectors in the District for easy transportation of people and products. The tarmac road Ngoma-Kirehe-Rusumo highway is to be maintained and rehabilitated. Other new tarmac roads are under construction. Due to the effect of erosion and poor maintenance, many of the roads are in a deteriorating state and require immediate rehabilitation. The District has some bridges of which most are in need to be repaired as they play a big role in facilitating different sectors to be able to interact socially as well as economically. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 97 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 124 Map 28: Existing road network The existing situation of transportation in Kirehe District refers to the data from the RTDA. The road network is classified as National Road, District Road Class1, District Road Class 2, and other roads (servicing and access roads). 4.3.1.2 Land Allocation for Transport Infrastructure Transport is an important sector as it links various areas of the District to neighboring Districts, the region, and neighboring countries. Road Category National Road District Roads Class1 District Roads Class2 Servicing & Access Roads Railway Planned Width (m) 44 m (22x2) 44 m (22x2) 24 m (12x2) 9 m (4.5x2) 60 m (30x2) Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 98 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 125 Table 19: Planned Kirehe Road network Classification It is to be noted that the NLUDMP 2020-2050 proposes a wider ROW of 30 meters for expressway road categories that will cross Kirehe District by 2050. The proposed widths in the DLUP will be revised accordingly after completion of the National Transportation Master Plan study, as a sectoral plan recommended by the NLUDMP 2020-2050. Road Category Planned Width National Road and District Road Class 1 22 m from center line District Roads class 2 Access Road Servicing Roads 12 m from center line 6 m from center line 4.5 m from center line Table 20: Road categories and widths in urban areas However, according to Article 214/12/2012 of the Law No 55/2011 of 14/12/2011 governing roads, the dimensions of the road reserve for the City of Kigali and other urban areas shall be determined in respect of the provisions of the master plan of the City of Kigali or other urban area irrespective of the road classification. Therefore, Kirehe DLUP determined dimensions of the road reserve for some commercial centers based upon convincing factors agreed during field consultations with local authorities. ▪ ROW Cross-sections According to the Rwanda Road Act of the Official Gazette nº 04 of 23/01/2021, the ROW widths are set but flexibility is given on National Roads and District Roads Class 1 in urban areas. The ROW and cross sections of these roads are calculated and shown below for the different scenarios for areas with and without available space. Dual carriage National Road/ High Capacity urban roads of Kirehe CBD and rurban areas of 28m ROW ● Lane width: 3.5 m ● Dual carriageway: 3.5 m x 4 = 14 m ● Shoulder and Green space: 3 m x 2 = 6m ● Median width = 1 m ● Footway in urban conditions: 2 x 2 = 4 m Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 99 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 126 ● Road reserve: 1.5 m x 2 = 3m The expected ROW for a dual carriageway urban road will require 28 m, with two lanes per direction. Figure 32: Dual carriage National Road/ High Capacity urban roads of Kirehe CBD and rurban areas of 28m ROW Single carriage National Road/High-Capacity urban roads of Kirehe CBD and rurban areas of 23m ROW. ● Lane Width: 3.5 m ● Single carriageway: 3.5 m x 2 = 7 m ● Shoulder and green space: 3 m x 2 = 6 m ● Median width = 1m ● Footway in urban conditions: 2 m x 2 = 4 m ● Road reserve: 2.5 m x 2 = 5 m The expected ROW for a single carriageway urban road will require 23 m, with one lane per direction. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 100 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 127 Figure 33: Single carriage National Road/ High-Capacity urban roads of Kirehe CBD and rurban areas of 23m ROW Primary local roads in communities – 9-12.5 m for brownfield areas and 12.5 m for greenfield areas. ● Lane width 3 m x 2 =6m ● Footpath 1.5 m x 2 = 3m ● Road Reserve: 1.5 m x 2 = 3m ● 12 m ROW is acceptable. Figure 34: Primary local road in communities – 9-12.5 m for brownfield and 12.5 m for greenfield developments NMT – 3 m for rural settlement sites without road accessibility Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 101 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 128 ● Footway: 1.5 m x 2 = 3 m 4.3.2 Kirehe proposed transportation infrastructures In addition to road transport, new transportation infrastructure has been proposed and planned. A new railway is proposed connecting Rwanda to the port of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania via Isaka, as well as to the neighboring country of Burundi. The railway station in Rusumo-Kiyanzi is an important stop on this line, and there will be regular passenger and freight services passing through the town. Like the other border Districts of Nyagatare, Bugesera-Namba, Rubavu, Musanze and Rusizi, it is proposed for Kirehe District to have an airstrip, in the vicinity of Rusumo-Kiyanzi, as a logistic hub that will facilitate domestic travel, as well as a few international airlines operating flights to neighboring countries. However, for those traveling to Rusumo-Kiyanzi, road and rail transport are the most practical options. 4.3.3 Transportation Infrastructure by 2050 The development of Kirehe District will be enabled by improved transportation infrastructure across the District. The Isaka-Kigali railway line from Rusumo is crossing Kirehe District in the three sectors of Kigarama, Musaza and Gahara. There are two railway stations at Rusumo, Nyankurazo Cell, Kigarama Sector and another one that is proposed in Gahara Sector, Nyakagezi Cell, Muguruka II village. This infrastructure will serve all neighboring Districts in the Eastern Province, especially Ngoma, Kayonza and the as well neighboring countries of Burundi and Tanzania. The DLUP is recommending the following: ● Some of these infrastructures, like the railway and railway stations, are proposed but should be implemented at regional or national level. However, other projects will be implemented by the District with support from the central government. ● The two railway stations should be connected with good road infrastructure to connect to ports and connected facilities as proposed in the Kirehe DLUP. ● The DLUP has identified the need for the District, as a Secondary City and cross border District, to have an airstrip considering its strategic location. ● Four new car parks will be constructed along the highways crossing the District, including Rusumo-Kiyanzi, Nasho and Gahara-Dagaza Rurban Centers and one in Gatore rural settlement. ● Kirehe District will continue to be well-connected to other parts of the country and neighboring countries through a variety of transport options, but with road and rail transport being the most commonly used modes of transportation in the region. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 102 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 129 Map 29: Proposed dense infrastructure of roads serving all areas No Road Name Sector Cell 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Mushongi-Nyagatovu Mpanga Nyakabungo - Mpanga - Mushongi Ibanda-Remera Mpanga Nyabayama-Nyarubuye II Nyarubuye - Bwiyorere Nyakabungo-Nasho Mareba - Nyabitare - Nyarutunga Kankobwa Kanyabihara-Umunezero Kigarama - Kigina Kiremera - Gatarama Gatari-Nyamirambo I Kigarama Cyanya - Nyakerera Gatwe I-Nyarutovu Kigarama - Musaza Cyanya - Gasarabwayi - Musaza Rwabugagara-Samuko Musaza - Gatore Nganda - Rwabutazi - Rwantonde Kagarama-Ururembo II Gatore - Gahara Rwabutazi - Nyagasenyi Kabeza-Sake Kirehe - Mushikiri Bwiza-Kampara Kirehe - Mushikiri - Kirehe Gahama Cyamigurwa - Rwanyamuhanga Nyabikokora - Bisagara - Rwesero Rusumo-Nyagisozi Mushikiri Rwayikona Length (km) 17.8 - 14.2 5.5 4.2 4.9 3.6 6.6 5.5 - 11.2 8.4 1.7 Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 103 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 130 12 13 Nyagisozi-Nyakarambi II Kigina Rugarama - Ruhanga Ruseke-Rwamuhigi Nasho Ntaruka 13.8 4.2 Table 21: Proposed feeder roads development in Kirehe District for 2020-2030 ● Strategic and priority roads in the District by 2050 It is projected that key roads should be upgraded considering the strategic location of the District and the trading corridor between the Tanzanian harbor and Kigali, and other commercial centers in neighboring Districts. Map 30: Strategic and priority roads in the District by 2050 ● Non-Motorized Transport (NMT) As an upcoming Secondary City, with an expected increase in population and wealth, could spur a shift from walking and cycling to motorized transport. Therefore, to ensure sustainable mobility in Kirege Secondary City District, the existing culture of walking and cycling should be maintained and fostered by incorporating NMT in the green transportation network strategies. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 104 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 131 The NMT network supports public transport systems but also provides an independent network that should be comfortable, safe, and attractive to use to encourage walking and cycling within Kirehe District. Attractive green infrastructure encourages people to walk, which will decrease the pressure on the road network. The importance of NMT networks, and ensuring that people continue to embrace a lifestyle of walking and cycling, is critical to the successful development and growth of Kirehe District. NMT infrastructure must be provided and a NMT strategy rolled out to ensure that all collector and arterial roads include space for walking and cycling. Walkways and bicycle lanes in areas in proximity to schools, hospitals, public facilities and within the CBD should be prioritized. It is recommended that to improve all-weather roads accessibility, NMT infrastructure should be implemented. NMT routes should be implemented on the roads depending on available space. All NMT infrastructure must be universally accessible. For rural areas, especially in the western part of the District, a bicycle network is recommended to facilitate accessibility for farmers to their land. 4.4 Public facilities and services It is envisioned that with the implementation of the proposed settlement structure, access to public facilities and services will improve as these will be centralized and the services will be offered within consolidated settlements. The provision of facilities and servicing of sprawled settlements will be discontinued. 4.4.1 Education 4.4.1.1 Existing situation Educational Services in Kirehe District In the Kirehe District, the net attendance rate in primary school was recorded at 85.3%, which falls below the national average of 87.6%. Similarly, in secondary school, the net attendance rate stood at 18.1%, also below the national average of approximately 23.2%. According to the Education Integrated Household Survey (EICV5) thematic report, the computer literacy rate among individuals aged 15 and above was reported at 2.7%, which is lower than the national average of 8.9%. Furthermore, the promotion rate in primary school was found to be 70.5%, indicating the percentage of students who progressed to the next grade. Conversely, the repetition rate in primary school was Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 105 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 132 recorded at 25.2%, indicating the percentage of students who repeated the same grade. In secondary school, the promotion rate was notably higher at 86.4%, while the repetition rate was significantly lower at 1.5%. In terms of educational infrastructure, Kirehe District comprises 3 pre-primary schools dedicated to Early Child Development, 45 primary schools, and 56 day secondary schools. Additionally, there are 6 vocational training centers operating within the District. The total number of pupils in Kirehe District was recorded at 127,445, resulting in an average of 1,158 pupils per school and an average of 54 pupils/classroom (Kirehe District Education office, 2022). It is worth noting that the pre-primary schools, specifically those catering to Early Childhood Development, are spatially distributed among individual households and village kitchens. However, despite the availability of educational infrastructure, some classrooms are in poor condition, requiring immediate attention and rehabilitation. SECTOR Education Level Pre-Primary Primary Secondary TVET 1. Gahara 2. Gatore 3. Kigarama 4. Kigina 5. Kirehe 6. Mahama 7. Mpanga 8. Musaza 9. Mushikiri 10. Nasho 11. Nyamugari 12. Nyarubuye Total 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 8 3 4 5 1 2 5 3 2 4 5 3 5 6 4 4 6 5 5 5 4 4 5 3 45 56 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 6 Table 22: Educational situation in 2022 Total 14 9 9 11 8 7 11 8 6 9 11 7 110 Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 106 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 133 Map 31: Education Facilities in Kirehe District 4.4.1.2 Planned Educational Services The government’s targets to reach upper middle-income status by 2035 will involve intense improvements in both the amount and the quality of human capital. Economies that have grown rapidly over an extended period have made substantial investments in the health and education of their citizens. (World Bank, 2020). These efforts are crucial as Rwanda’s investment in human capital lags behind the average of low-income countries, in primary and lower secondary school completion as exposed by world development indicators data. o NLUDMP 2020-2050 Recommendations on Educational Sector ▪ Nursery and Primary Education by 2050 According to NLUDMP 2020-2050, the following standards and parameters have been established for nursery and primary schools. ● Average class size: 35 pupils/class Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 107 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 134 ● Average school size: 840 pupils ● Required size for a nursery school: 0.5 ha ● Required size for a primary school: 1 ha ▪ Secondary, Vocational and Technical Education by 2050 According to NLUDMP 2020-2050, the following standards and parameters have been established for secondary education, which will support the reform of quality and quantity. ● Enrolment rate will be 90% ● Average class size: 38 pupils/class ● Average school size: 840 pupils ● Required size for a secondary school: 1.5 ha ● Required size for vocational and technical school: 2 ha Proposed Schools and Planning Perspectives in Kirehe District In the preparation of Kirehe DLUP for the 2050 horizon year, as a result of population growth there will be an increase of students with direct impact on existing schools for the whole District. There is a high demand for new classrooms for both primary and secondary schools, as well as TVETs. As above-mentioned, the current number of students is almost 30.5% of the total population. If this scenario remains, the District will have to construct additional classrooms. There is a current deficit of 2,342 classrooms (2022). Pre-primary education (3-5 years) Description Total Population No. of students Nursery (3-5 years) Existing Classrooms Planned school Planned Classrooms Required Classrooms Required Schools Primary Education ( 6-11 years) Description Total Population No. of students Primary (6-11 years) Existing Classrooms Planned School Planned Classrooms Required Classrooms 2022 460,860 38,615 268 46 1,103 835 35 2022 460,860 69,483 1,724 83 1,985 261 2030 505,399 42,347 1,103 50 1,210 107 4 2030 505,399 76,198 1,985 91 2,177 192 2035 535,396 44,860 1,210 53 1,282 72 3 2035 535,396 80,721 2,177 96 2,306 129 2040 567,174 47,523 1,282 57 1,358 76 3 2040 567,174 85,512 2,306 102 2,443 137 2045 600,838 50,344 1,358 60 1,438 81 3 2045 600,838 90,587 2,443 108 2,588 145 2050 636,500 53,332 1,438 63 1,524 85 4 2050 636,500 95,964 2,588 114 2,742 154 Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 108 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 135 Required Schools 11 8 5 6 6 6 Secondary Education (12-17 years) Description Total Population No. of students Secondary (12-17 years) Existing Classrooms Planned Schools Planned Classrooms Required Classrooms Required Schools Required TVET Schools (60%) Required General Secondary Schools (40%) 2022 460,860 70,259 2030 505,399 77,049 2035 535,396 81,622 2040 567,174 86,467 2045 600,838 91,599 2050 636,500 97,036 761 84 2,007 1,246 52 31 21 2,007 92 2,201 194 8 5 3 2,201 97 2,332 131 5 3 2 2,332 103 2,470 138 6 3 2 2,470 109 2,617 147 6 4 2 2,617 116 2,772 155 6 4 3 Table 23: Projected number of classrooms and students by 2035 and 2050 Therefore, jointly, both public and private sector, churches, and non-governmental organizations have to be conscious of the situation and directly respond to this future demand by investing in education. Vertical construction of school buildings is required for efficient use of land. 4.4.2 Healthcare Services Rwanda’s healthcare system has improved significantly in terms of geographical and financial access to medical facilities with over 84% of Rwandans insured by the Mutuelle de Santé, citizens have access to primary healthcare. At the same time, life expectancy has increased from 49 years in 2000 to 66.7 years in 2017. The country currently operates a well-functioning, decentralized public healthcare system comprising 1,700 health posts, 500 health centers, 42 District hospitals, and five national referral hospitals. Rwanda also has a private health service sector, which comprises two general hospitals, two eye hospitals, 50 clinics and polyclinics, eight dental clinics, four eye clinics, and 134 dispensaries. There is one joint Commission International-certified hospital and one public medical college producing 100 general practitioners per year. Rwanda plans to expand the provision of improved healthcare and develop medical tourism through the attraction of state-of-the-art and specialized medical facilities. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 109 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 136 4.4.2.1 Existing situation for healthcare services in the District Kirehe District has various healthcare facilities distributed in the major settlements within the District. Currently there are 57 healthcare facilities with one Provincial Hospital, 18 health centers and 39 health posts. Map 32: Health facilities Distribution in Kirehe District 4.4.2.2 Planning perspectives According to the NLUDMP 2020-2050, the following healthcare standard structures are proposed for Kirehe District: (i) Community health will be organized in clustered rural settlements sites. (ii) Health posts (0,06ha each): 110 for future proposed imidugudu. In this regard, 21 additional health posts are proposed to increase the accessibility in rural settlement sites to healthcare services; (iii) Health centers (0.2 ha each): 2/Sector: 24; (iv) District Hospitals (2 ha each): 2/District: 2 (1 in 2022). Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 110 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 137 Additional 6 health centres shall be constructed and will be located in Kigarama, Gatore, Musaza, Mushikiri, and Kigina Sectors to be built within urban and rural settlement boundaries. Vertical construction of the buildings should be mandatory, to enable efficient use of land. At Kirehe District level, the plan proposes a second District Hospital to be located in Nasho Rurban Centre. 4.5 Public Utilities 4.5.1 Energy Energy will continue to be a requirement for household and commercial purposes. Evidence shows a strong correlation between the increase in energy consumption and rise in income levels. Per capita consumption of energy will increase from 1,026 kWh in 3035 to 3,080 kWh in 2050. It is anticipated that there could be a need for about 3,788 MW and 13,981 MW of energy capacity in 2035 and 2050 respectively. There will be a high emphasis on an adequate and stable supply of electricity for household and commercial purposes. Energy is central to Rwanda’s economic ambitions and development plans as the sector supports all other sectors, including housing and urbanization, manufacturing, agro-processing, mining, tourism and IT. Hence, a well-functioning, efficient energy sector is vital for achieving the country’s national goals. Energy will support the delivery of Vision 2050 by expanding affordable, reliable access to electricity, ensuring sustainability in biomass supply and securing supplies of petroleum. International experience has shown that economic development is difficult without a well- functioning energy sector, and without minimum levels of capacity and consumption. The energy sector in Rwanda is made up of hydropower, solar, geothermal, and biomass (wood and charcoal), which is the most commonly used and dominates both the demand and supply side of the Rwandan economy. 4.5.1.1 Overview of Rwanda’s home-grown energy resources Resource potential Hydropower 313-400 MW Summary of current and potential contribution Hydropower has generated the bulk of electricity in Rwanda since the 1960s. Its overall potential is estimated at up to 400 MW, and the current installed hydro capacity is 98.5 MW. As a result of extremely low operational costs however, hydro is still one of the cheapest forms of generation in the long run. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 111 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 138 Geothermal Solar Energy Peat 121-161 MW Methane 140-180 MW Kivuwatt, a 27 MW generation facility, has demonstrated the commercial and technical viability of extracting methane from Lake Kivu. Further utilization of methane resources is planned, with significant investor interest. A Peat Master Plan was first developed in 1993. Estimates of potential capacity have since been revised downwards from the initial 700 MW to 121 MW-161 MW in 2016. About 77% of the country’s peat reserves are near the Akanyaru and Nyabarongo Rivers and the Rwabusoro Plains. Rwanda’s geothermal resource is yet to be established. However, studies have identified Karisimbi, Kinigi, Gisenyi and Bugarama as promising areas, with potentially 100 MW of generation available from four promising sites. Further studies, exploration and test sites are required to confirm this. Following Karisimbi unfortunate results, a geothermal master plan was developed in 2015. The geothermal master plan provides potential estimates for each geothermal prospect area and gives a clear plan of priorities for the exploration of potential geothermal sites in the country. The potential was estimated at a maximum 100 MW for the country. With a potential of 4.5 kWh per m2 per day and approximately 5 peak sun hours, solar energy has a huge potential in Rwanda. Currently, Rwanda’s total on-grid installed solar energy is 12.230 MW originating from 5 solar power plants namely Jali power plant generating 0.25MW, Rwamagana Gigawatt generating 8.5 MW, Ndera Solar power plant generating 0.15MW and the Nasho Solar plant generating 3.3 MW. The Government of Rwanda intends to increase the number of solar power plants to reduce the cost of production and take advantage of available renewable sources in Rwanda. In 2018, the Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Mara Corporation Ltd and SB Energy Corp from Mauritius to develop a 30MW solar power plant with a storage facility. The current national energy balance statistics show that biomass (mostly wood fuel) accounts for about 83% of the total energy consumption, followed by petroleum at 9.7%, electricity at 1.3% and others at about less than 0,5%. In rural areas, the reliance on biomass is over 90%. Most Rwandans live in rural areas where traditional biomass, mainly wood fuel, has remained the leading source of energy for cooking. Biomass consumption is putting pressure on existing resources, with an estimated 870,000 tons of woody biomass deficit in 2009. Along with this the use of biomass for fuel is having harmful effects through health impacts and emissions. To rectify this, the Government is further developing the public sector forestry programs, has licensing for tree harvesting and is diversifying away from traditional wood fuel to look at other forms of biomass such as papyrus and rice and coffee husks, as well as biogas which benefits from the ‘One cow per poor family’ scheme. The Government has put in place strict tree harvesting regulations; only licensed persons with permits are allowed to cut trees, including those from private lands. These measures have helped to reduce deforestation and Rwanda is one of only a handful of countries in Africa where the relationship between charcoal consumption and deforestation no longer exists. Government is to focus on alternative cooking technologies, biogas, LPG, Palettes and briquettes, etc. Commercially-viable wind power resources are not expected to be significant based on past resource assessments and modeling work. However, MININFRA will continue to assess the potential for wind to contribute to the overall power generation efforts Wind Energy Biomass Table 24: Summary of current potential energy contribution in Rwanda (Source: Energy Sector Strategic Plan, MININFRA 2018 Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 112 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 139 4.5.1.2 Existing situation At the District level, the main sources of energy for cooking used by the private households are firewood (94.7%) and charcoal (3.0%). At the Sector level, firewood is the most used source of energy for cooking by private households (varying from 89% in Kigina to 97% in Mushikiri). The Sector with a high percentage of private households using charcoal as the main source of energy for cooking is Kigina (8.3%) (RPHC 4:2015). The use of firewood and charcoal is the main cause of environmental degradation and deforestation in Kirehe District. To increase the amount of alternative energy for cooking and lighting, 759 biogas digesters were installed in Kirehe District. Electricity is available in some trading centers, in major towns and rural areas. Currently 37 Cell offices out of 60 are connected to the electricity grid, representing 62%. Solar energy exists, even if it's not yet well developed as solar power currently produces around 7% of electricity in the country. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 113 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 140 Map 33: Electricity Distribution in Kirehe District Primary fuel used for lighting (%) Electricity Oil Lamp Firewood Candle Lantern Batteries 8.4 4.3 0.2 5.5 44.4 36.2 Solar panel 0.6 Other 0.4 Table 25: Percentages of primary fuel used for lighting in Kirehe District, as per EICV 4. Primary fuel used for lighting 1% 0% 9% 0% 4% 6% 36% 44% Elecitricty distributor oil lamp Lantern Batteries Firewood Solar panel Candle Other Figure 351: Primary fuel used for lighting As shown by the diagram, the primary fuel used for lighting is lantern with 44%, and the least used is firewood with 0.2%. Primary fuel used for cooking (%) Firewood 95.8 Charcoal 4.2 Crop waste 0.0 Gas or Biogas 0.0 Other 0.0 Table 26: Percentages of Primary fuel used for cooking in Kirehe District as per EICV 4 on 84 HHs Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 114 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 141 Primary fuel used for Cooking 95.8 4.2 0 0 FIREWOOD CHARCOAL CROP WASTE GAS OR BIAGAS 0 OTHER Figure 36: Primary fuel used for cooking As shown by the graph, the primary fuel used for cooking is firewood with 95.8% . 4.5.1.3 Planning perspectives One of the projects promising to increase electricity is called the Regional Rusumo Falls Hydroelectric Project (RRFP) which is a hydropower project under joint development by the Governments of the Republic of Burundi, Republic of Rwanda and the United Republic of Tanzania, through the commonly owned Rusumo Power Company (RPCL). The joint development was entered by the three governments through a Tripartite Agreement signed on 16th February, 2012. The project is located at Rusumo Falls, on River Akagera at the border of Rwanda and Tanzania. The power production facilities are located entirely on the south side of the river bank (in Tanzania), while the substation is located on the northern side of the riverbank (in Rwanda). The project's overall objective is to increase the supply of electricity to the national grids of Rwanda, Tanzania and Burundi and consists of construction of an 80 MW power plant including the associated three transmission lines. The generated electricity will be equally shared among the three countries, providing about 26MW to the national grid. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 115 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 142 Figure 37: Rusumo hydro power Figure 38: Electricity lines in Rusumo hydro power plant 4.5.2 Water and Sanitation 4.5.2.1 Existing situation Complaints of acute water shortage in many parts of Kirehe District have persisted despite assurances that plans are in place to ensure adequate supply of clean water. Many Sectors of the District are facing heightened water shortage during dry seasons. Some residents have, on average, 6 km to access clean water. Some people have had to buy a bicycle to fetch water, as a means of survival. Water is also expensive. In Nyakarambi town residents pay heavy monthly water bills. Figure 39: Water tap in Kirehe District Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 116 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 143 4.5.2.2 Planning perspectives The DLUP is to have a sustainable approach to ensure that reliable and lasting water and sanitation services are brought to all households, schools, and healthcare facilities in the District. Local governments, businesses, and individuals provide training, tools, and necessary support to bring clean water and sanitation systems to their communities. However, resources and knowledge to maintain these systems long-term must be ensured. The government plans to distribute the Water Supply System (WSS) in all planned settlements. Water storage will increase in order to avoid loss of water during night, when water consumption is low. In urban areas, public taps will be located at a distance of 300 m between taps. In rural areas, public taps will be provided at a distance of 500 m between taps. The pipe network passes through densely populated areas, in order to easily connect to the main pipe. Tap water in Rwanda is relatively clean. However, the use of a water filter is recommended for potable water. 4.5.3 Settlements, Public Administration and Infrastructures Security guidelines 4.5.3.1 City and Neighbourhood Safety ⮚ Street lights shall be provided at minimum along primary and secondary distributor roads, from local transport nodes and from bus and minibus stops to a neighbourhood. ⮚ Plot owners shall be required to install security lighting on their plot boundary. ⮚ Every building shall fix and maintain fire-fighting equipment easily accessible. ⮚ There shall be water points and fire hydrants well accessible within a radius specified by the responsible authority. ⮚ The City should secure water at water points and hydrants for firefighting at 25 m3/ h with minimum availability for 2 hours. ⮚ The City should have a fire brigade that use firefighting engines which are equipped with a water tank. 4.5.3.2 Public infrastructure Safety ⮚ Control of developments within road reserves and other buffer zones established around protected zones and strategic infrastructures. ⮚ Public strategic infrastructures, military barracks, camps, garrisons, training institutions and other installations should be marked with appropriate signage/warning notices erected. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 117 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 144 4.6 Agriculture, Livestock and Pisciculture 4.6.1 Agriculture According to NLUDMP 2020-2050, agriculture plays a significant role in Rwanda's national planning. One of the Pillars of Rwanda's Vision 2050, is agriculture nearly 15 times more productive than today, high value, and market driven. Agriculture in Rwanda plays a dual role, in generating income and foreign currency through export of agricultural products (mainly coffee and tea) and in generating food for the local population. The recommendation is to protect the current agricultural land of 10,949 km2 (41.6%) meaning that for the period of three decades, to achieve Vision 2050, 12,433 km2 (47.2%) of agricultural land is to be reserved to satisfy the need of future generations, to be protected and efficiently utilized and enlarged as much as possible, given the demand for other land uses and to possibly have up to 15,000 km² of land allocated for agriculture for sustainable food security. 4.6.1.1 Existing situation The economy of Kirehe District is mostly dependent on agriculture and livestock, where fertile soils and favorable conditions give satisfactory production for food crops like banana, maize, beans, soya beans, and rice in addition to horticulture crops like pineapples. In addition, there are a high number of favorable fishing spots along the shores of Nasho, Rwampanga, and Cyambwe Lakes and River Akagera. The District is known for its agricultural potential and the presence of modern agriculture, especially irrigation systems on hillsides and in marshlands. The District serves as a prime area for staple crop production. The District has an advantage with areas that are well developed for irrigation systems and dykes for easy irrigation of crops, especially vegetables. The Sectors where agriculture is the most dominant economic activity include Mpanga, Mahama, Nasho and Nyarubuye. At present, 33% of the land is under consolidation, 74% of the land is protected against soil erosion, and 5.8% of the land is under irrigation. The District has particular areas suitable for livestock farming like Mpanga, Nyarubuye and Nasho Sectors where 16,000 liters of milk are produced daily from about 25,000 grazing cows. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 118 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 145 Irrigation schemes with dams and their status S/N 1 2 3 Status Fair Sagatare irrigation scheme Poor Cyunuzi irrigation scheme Nyamugali Irrigation scheme Maize, beans, vegetables Poor Crop Rice Rice 4 5 6 Kinoni 1 irrigation scheme Maize, beans, vegetables N/A Kinoni 2 irrigation scheme Maize, beans, vegetables N/A Mahama irrigation scheme Critical, not in use Irrigation project under development 1 2 3 Mpanga irrigation scheme by ETI Project Different crops Ongoing project Mahama lot 1 irrigation scheme Mahama lot 2 irrigation scheme - - Ongoing - Table 27: Existing Irrigation Schemes in Kirehe District Location Musaza Mushikiri Nyamugali Kigarama Kigarama Mahama Mpanga Mahama Mahama Maize is cultivated on consolidated land that covers almost 26,000 ha in the swampy areas of the Akagera region in the Gahara, Kigarama, Nyamugali, Musaza, Mahama, Mpanga, Mushikiri and Nasho Sectors. LAND Consoldation by crop and Sectors 8,000 7,000 6,000 5,000 4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 - Maize Beans Soya Rice Banana Horticulture crop Figure 40: Crop consolidation by sector (2022) Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 119 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 146 SN Irrigated scheme 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Nasho irrigation scheme GFI(Government found for irrigation) Nyamugali irrigation scheme Kinoni1 irrigation scheme Kinoni2 irrigation scheme Sagatare irrigation scheme Cyunuzi1 irrigation scheme Binoni irrigation scheme Gashonge irrigation scheme Kijumbura irrigation scheme Kambwire irrigation scheme Kinnyogo irrigation scheme Gacenchero irrigation scheme Rwabutazi irrigation scheme Cyunuzi2 irrigation scheme Types of irrigation Hillside irrigation(center pivot) Hillside irrigation (sprinkler irrigation Hillside irrigation(pipe hydrants) Hillside irrigation(pipe hydrants) Hillside irrigation and hillside irrigation(pipe hydrants) Marshland irrigation Marshland Marshland Marshland Marshland Marshland Marshland Marshland Marshland Marshland Location/ Sector Irrigated area(ha) Nasho 1172 Mpanga Nyamugali Kigarama Kigarama Musaza Mushikiri Mushikiri Nyarubuye Gahara Musaza Nyarubuye Mushikiri Gatore Gatore 400 400 130 135 44 67 138 55 18 89 65 160 90 80 All sectors 1525.27 ha Table 28: Irrigated areas in Kirehe District Figure 41: Mpanga irrigation area Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 120 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 147 4.6.1.2 Planned Agriculture The NLUDMP 2020-2050 recommends that the existing agricultural land, and especially high potential zones will be preserved. The agricultural sector will have a high focus on productivity, climate resilience and standards, commercial agro-processing, and agribusinesses. The advanced food industry will be developed based on strong linkages between commercial farmers and industries. In 2050, agriculture in Rwanda will be market-led and high-tech, driven by a few professional farmers with large farms on irrigable lands. Yields will improve to the optimal international return. ⮚ Agriculture suitability analysis The Eastern Province is characterized by suitable agricultural land. This land should be protected from residential sprawl, and earmarked for agricultural development projects such as drainage, irrigation, terracing, consolidation and farmers cooperatives formation, agricultural research and extension services. An agriculture suitability analysis has been conducted countrywide to guide the Districts on agriculture development. The overall soil and marshland conditions in Kirehe District, and existing irrigation systems, is highly suitable for agriculture activities. Map 34: Crops suitability Map 35 : Irrigation schemes The map above indicates crop suitability in Kirehe District. A study conducted by MINAGRI indicates that Kirehe District is highly suitable for agriculture development of 6 of the 8 selected crops with suitable zones indicated in terms of land subsystems and land units. ⮚ Agriculture Challenges in Kirehe District Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 121 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 148 The agricultural sector in Kirehe District faces significant challenges that hinder its growth and sustainability. One of the primary concerns is the effective allocation and management of land, which is crucial for optimizing agricultural productivity. The graph below illustrates the complexities surrounding agriculture in Kirehe District. ⮚ Proposed Agriculture Projects in Kirehe District The vision in Kirehe District is to modernize agriculture and livestock to achieve food security. One of the key pillars of this vision is the transformation of agriculture from subsistence to a productive high-value, market-oriented farming that is environmentally friendly and has an impact on other sectors of the economy. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 122 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 149 Figure SEQ Figure \* ARABIC 80: Irrigation Projects Figure 42: Irrigation projects under development Name of Cell Rwanyamuhanga and Cyamigurwa Nyamugali Nyabikokora/ Runyinya Water body (dam, dyke, pond) Main activity Current use Water bodies biodiversity Cyunuzi dyke Agriculture Rice farming Plants and fish Nyamugali dyke Agriculture Farming different crops Plants and fish Sagatare dyke Agriculture Rice farming Plants and fish Gatarama/Kiremera Kinoni I dyke Agriculture Kiremera Munini Mpanga, Cyambwe, Rubirizi Rubirizi Kinoni II dyke Agriculture Mahama dyke Agriculture CYAMBWE Lake Nasho (Rwakigeri) Lake Agriculture, Fisheries Agriculture, Fisheries Agriculture, Fisheries Agriculture, Fisheries Mpanga, Mushongi Rwampanga Lake Nyagasenyi Kagasa Nyabugongwe Lake Fisheries Fisheries Farming different crops Farming different crops Farming different crops Farming different crops Farming different crops Farming different crops Farming different crops Plants and fish Plants and fish Plants and animals Plants animals (hippo, fish ) Plants animals (hippo, fish ) Plants animals (hippo, fish) Plants animals (hippo, fish ) Plants animals (hippo, fish ) Table 29: Irrigation opportunities in Kirehe District 4.6.1.3 Opportunities in Kirehe Agriculture Sector The opportunities within the agricultural sector in Kirehe District is to optimize land use and allocation of agricultural land, for a thriving and resilient agricultural sector in the District. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 123 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 150 4.6.1.4 Agriculture land slope classification in Kirehe District The varied slopes of Kirehe District offer a range of land suitable for agriculture. Gently sloping land (between 0% and 6%) makes up 14.7% of the District's agricultural area, providing ideal conditions for farming. An even larger portion (60%) has moderate slopes (between 6% and 30%), which is also well-suited for agricultural activities. Steeper slopes, accounting for 10% of the land, can still be used for some agricultural purposes. However, a small area (0.6%) with slopes exceeding 55% is considered environmentally sensitive areas and should be protected and sustainably used. Slope level Gentle slope (0%-6%) Moderate slope (6%-30%) Steep slope (30%-55%) Very steep slope (⩾ 55%) Total Hectares of agriculture land 12,715.1 64,734.1 8,704.1 516.9 86,670.2 % 14.7 74.7 10 0.6 100 Table 30: Agriculture land slope classification Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 124 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 151 Recommendations that will contribute to agriculture land protection and improve production: ✔ Protecting agricultural land against scattered housing and built-up areas as an essential for preserving agricultural productivity, ensuring food security, and maintaining the balance between urban development and rural areas ✔ Implementation of Sustainable Agriculture Practices, Kirehe authorities have to encourage farmers to adopt sustainable agriculture techniques such as crop rotation, agroforestry, and cover cropping. ✔ To fight against drought, irrigation and water management systems should be developed. ✔ Efficient irrigation systems, such as drip irrigation and sprinkler systems, should be introduced to ensure optimal water use. ✔ Establish buffer zones around agricultural areas to protect them from external encroachment. 4.6.2 Livestock Livestock farming is the second main economic activity in Kirehe District (2022). Livestock rearing is an important source of income and food for the local population. In the District, the most common types of livestock include cattle, goats, sheep, and poultry. Cattle farming is prevalent for both dairy farming and meat production. Dairy farming is an essential component of the local diet and a source of income through the sale of dairy products. Beef cattle are raised for meat production, supplying local markets and catering to the demand for meat products. Goats and sheep are valued for their Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 125 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 152 meat, milk, and wool, and provide opportunities for small-scale farmers as they require less space compared to cattle and can be raised in relatively smaller numbers. Poultry farming, including chicken and ducks, is another important livestock activity in Kirehe District. Poultry farming offers a relatively low-cost entry point for farmers and provides a source of protein-rich meat and eggs. Additionally, poultry manure can be used as fertilizer for crops, contributing to integrated farming systems. S/N Sector 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Gahara Gatore Kigarama Kigina Kirehe Mahama Mpanga Musaza Mushikiri Nasho Nyamugali Nyarubuye TOTAL Cows 3,666 2,982 3,016 2,253 2,401 2,286 6,533 3,111 4,560 3,191 2,553 5,666 Goats Sheep 9,948 6,627 8,740 6,443 6,473 6,537 11,763 5,700 6,897 7,191 5,211 7,200 614 122 204 246 166 198 754 141 991 873 203 600 Pigs 1,007 972 1,105 273 1,199 1,902 322 596 650 485 847 735 Rabbits 375 109 1,033 53 726 1,880 701 512 73 485 95 86 42,218 88,730 5,112 10,093 6,128 Hens 9,492 2,459 6,477 2,457 2,710 1,949 3,438 3,872 818 5,483 7,264 11,154 57,573 Table 31: Type of livestock in Kirehe District Livestock farming is supported by various initiatives from the government and international organizations. These initiatives focus on improving animal health, promoting best practices in animal husbandry, and providing training and veterinary services to farmers. In terms of land occupation, livestock farms cover 8,875 ha. The below map shows the livestock coverage in Kirehe District. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 126 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 153 Map 36: Livestock farming zones Planning perspectives of Agriculture and Livestock in Kirehe District: ✔ Modernizing agriculture especially by irrigation (Nasho, Mpanga, Mahama, Nyamugali and Kigarama) and mechanization. ✔ Promoting agroforestry. ✔ Livestock integration: Integrating livestock into agricultural systems can optimize land use and improve farm productivity. ✔ Adopting climate-smart agricultural practices. 4.7 Environmental and Natural Resources Rwanda is a natural resources-based economy, and therefore environment and climate change issues are a key priority and cross-cutting area that needs to be enhanced as stated in various medium and long-term national planning and strategic documents. Based on this, the key in planning and implementing the NLUDMP 2020-2050 is to ensure harmonization of land allocation for each Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 127 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 154 sector while at the same time ensuring that there are targeted efforts to the conservation of natural resources and promotion of their sustainable use. The NLUDMP 2020-2050 groups the environment into three key components: natural resources, biodiversity protection, and environmental quality. Protected and conserved areas are fundamental for achieving many of the Sustainable Development Goals. The current land cover (in 2019) includes land for conservation in the form of National Parks, protected wetlands, water bodies and forests which makes up for 41.07% (10,818 km2) of the total Rwandan area. The environment and natural resources sector have been allocated the second highest land use after agriculture, encompassing 9,925 km² representing 37.7% of the country’s land. Rwanda’s socio-economic development is dependent on the environment and natural resources such as land, water, forest, air, minerals and biodiversity. The Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) sector contributes significantly to the economic growth of the country. However, the sector faces challenges due to the inefficient use of natural resources as a result of unsustainable investment trends and pressure by other land user sectors. 4.7.1 Forestry Rwanda, through its Vision 2020, has made the development of the forestry sector a national priority and has reached its target of 30% forest cover by 2020. Forests (natural forests, e.g. wooded savannah, mountain rainforest, shrubs, and forest plantations) plays a significant role in Rwanda's national development. They provide 86% of the primary energy source, mainly as domestic cooking energy. They hold the base for the country’s tourism opportunities, which reached USD 620 million in 2023, and is expected to reach USD 800 million in 2024 (Rwanda Development Board annual report, 2024). In addition, forests protect watersheds and downstream wetlands, supporting agriculture and generate products of the country’s export revenues. Further, forests are a vital component of the life-support system and ecological benefits. Through an undertaken forest inventory and mapping exercise in 2019, Rwanda reported a forest cover countrywide of about 7,246.95 km2, which is equivalent to 30.4% of the total land. Specifically, 53.5% of the forest cover are plantations, 23.3% is wooded savannah in the east, 18.1% are natural mountain rain-forests, and 6.1% are shrubs. In addition, bamboo stands occupy 613 ha and bamboo plantations have mainly grown in the buffer zones of rivers (Rwanda Forest Cover, 2019). Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 128 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 155 In terms of the forest density and tree cover, about 318,434 ha are very dense forests (44%), 234,004 ha are moderately dense (32%), 146,222 ha are sparse (20%) and 26,035 ha are much degraded (4%). The Southern and Western Provinces contain 50% of the total forests, of which 174,199 ha are located in Western Province and 177,537 ha are located in Southern Province. In the Eastern Province 38% of the total land are forests (274,630 ha). The Northern Province has only 85,688 ha of forest, and Kigali City 12,641 ha (Rwanda Forest Cover, 2019). 4.7.1.1 Existing Situation in Kirehe District Kirehe District is known for its diverse landscapes, which include forests, grasslands, and wetlands. Forests play a crucial role in the District's ecosystem, providing various environmental, social, and economic benefits. However, like many other areas in Rwanda, Kirehe District has experienced deforestation and a huge loss of its natural forests over the years due to various factors, including agriculture, livestock, illegal logging, and the extensive use of wood and charcoal. According to the forest cover inventory and mapping of 2019, the District has forest plantation estimated at 19,592 ha (16.2%) of shrublands and woodlots. However, mapping of forest areas in the District shows that forest areas have decreased to 17,832 ha, representing 14.96% of the District area, thus still significantly contributing to the forest cover in the Eastern Province. Mpanga and Nyarubuye Sector has the highest forest cover in the District. In response to the need for forest conservation and restoration, afforestation efforts have been undertaken in Kirehe District. The Rwandan government also in collaboration with local communities and international organizations, has implemented several programs to promote afforestation in the District. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 129 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 156 Map 37: Forest cover 2022 4.7.1.2 Planning Perspectives The eastern part of Rwanda is known for its high sun. Kirehe District is one of the most drought- prone areas, and therefore targeted for agroforestry and planting of trees alongside the roads. The forest cover will be increased by planting of trees in the buffer zones of Akagera wetlands, which will also serve as protection for encroachment from agricultural activities. Slopes above 55% cover 5,840.6 ha of land in the District and will be used for afforestation to increase the forest cover with an additional of 3,731 ha. The figure below represents the slopes above 55% that are currently not covered by forest and therefore require forest plantation. As forest cover has declined due to the use of firewood, charcoal and wood for construction, the District, in partnership with stakeholders, has planned for landscape restoration, mostly in the Sectors that battle soil erosion and land degradation, to boost agricultural productivity, and for the benefit of flora and fauna. To achieve a resilient land use plan, green areas and open spaces will be Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 130 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 157 implemented in urban areas to promote sustainable urbanization as well as to mitigate pollution and climate related effects such as flooding, through holistic stormwater management. Overall, 19,415 ha of land will be dedicated for forestry, of which 3,623 ha will be allocated for afforestation. This will improve the livelihoods of people living near forests, as well as increasing forest protection and plantation mechanisms. Farmers in Kirehe District have been encouraged to adopt agroforestry systems, where they integrate trees on their agricultural lands. This approach helps to provide shade, improve soil fertility, prevent erosion, and diversify farmers' income sources. The Ibanda-Makera forest is projected to be rehabilitated to mitigate impacts of climate change in the region and at the same time be transformed into a Park for tourism once the rehabilitation and conservation activities are completed. Figure 43: Ibanda-Makera natural forest to be restored Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 131 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 158 Map 38: Existing forests and proposed zones for Afforestation 4.7.2 Wetlands There are 935 swamps under the order No 006/03 of 30/01/2017. The swamplands, or wetlands, are listed, including their characteristics and boundaries, to determine modalities of their use, development, and management. They encompass a total area of 276,477 ha of which 74% are under conditional exploitation, 6% are under full exploitation, and only 20% of the wetlands are fully protected. Kirehe District is favourable for agriculture, especially in the marshlands. Drainage techniques have been tested and implemented with the aim of maximizing agricultural production. The wetlands are the most physically and chemically heterogeneous of all aquatic ecosystems in Rwanda. They are in effect seasonal wetlands. The water table is near or above the lowest ground surface during the wet season and they do not have large flood plains (generally less than 200 m wide) or great length (Chemonics International Inc. 2003). Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 132 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 159 4.7.2.1 Existing Situation According to the list of wetlands gazetted in 2017, Kirehe District has 33 wetlands, totaling an area of 12,985 ha. These wetlands are classified into two categories, protected and unprotected wetlands. Protected wetlands are reserved for environmental conservation purposes. However, remaining unprotected wetlands, with an area of 1,760.3 ha, are being exploited mainly for agriculture development. Kigarama and Mpanga Sectors are the sectors which have many wetlands compared to other Sectors in the District. Mwoga wetland, which is alongside the Akagera River, occupies an area of 4,100 ha, serving Nyamugari, Mahama and Mpanga Sectors in the eastern part of Kirehe District at the border of Rwanda and Tanzania. Map 39: Current status and management of swamplands The main wetland in the District is Akagera, associated with the Akagera River. It is a natural wetland but has been used for agriculture and occupied in some parts by cultivation of rice, vegetables, and maize, and for electricity generation. Other parts of the wetland are not used, thus still retaining its natural vegetation. The Akagera wetland is often inundated with floods and Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 133 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 160 receives polluted wastewater and storm water draining from the cultivation. The wetland serves as an important source of water to irrigation schemes in Mahama, Nasho, Mpanga Sectors. There are seven wetlands with conservation status in Kirehe District, totaling 8,918 ha. No wetland in the District is well protected as agricultural activities are observed in their buffer zones that threaten the environmental integrity of the wetlands, as well as being a source of conflict and claims from local residents about the damages caused by hippopotamus living in Akagera River and wetland. S/N Name of Sector Swampland Area (Ha) Status of the swampland Wetland use 1. Nyamugari, Mahama, Mpanga, Nasho Akagera Aval 4,241.91 Protected Natural vegetation Nasho Makera -Akagera Nyanjogaruke Gahama Kabilizi Kayanza Kayanza -Nyakavogo Rubilizi -Gicaca Kijumbura Kinnyogo Kinoni Mushikiri 2. Nasho 3. Mpanga 4. Mpanga 5. Kirehe 6. Gatore 7. Kigarama 8. Kigarama 9. Nasho Gahara Nyarubuye Kigina, Kigarama Mushikiri Gatore, Kirehe, Musaza, Kigarama Mpanga Mushikiri Gatore Nasho Nyarubuye, Mushikiri Gahara, Musaza, Kigarama, Akagera Amont Mahama Gahara Kigina RwampangaAval Buteme Cyunuzi-Rwimirambi Cyambwe Gashongi -Kinnyogo Mwoga Rwagitugusa Rugando-Nyirangari Rwabutazi-Sagatare 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 254.31 65.78 19.00 25.16 50.36 81.00 9.82 321.74 36.00 22.00 96.00 63.00 98.00 1,884.53 80.35 240.03 105.27 34.48 3,617.19 52.77 571.55 77.41 Protected Protected Protected Unprotected Unprotected Protected Protected Protected Unprotected Unprotected Unprotected Unprotected Natural vegetation Natural vegetation Natural vegetation Crops farming Crops farming Natural vegetation Crops farming Natural vegetation Crops farming Crops farming Natural vegetation Crops farming Unprotected Natural vegetation Protected Unprotected Unprotected Unprotected Unprotected Protected Unprotected Protected Unprotected Crops farming Crops farming Crops farming Crops farming Crops farming Natural vegetation Crops farming Natural vegetation Crops farming Crops farming, Fisheries Crops farming 24. 25. Nyamugali Musaza Kagasa Kambwire 217.56 Unprotected ND Unprotected Table 32: Existing swamplands in Kirehe District 4.7.2.2 Planning Perspectives A total of 9,019.83 ha of wetlands (unprotected) will be open for the exclusive use of agriculture. Therefore, a detailed wetland master plan study is required to ensure whether some wetlands should be classified for protection or recreational use for the purpose of conserving or restoring the Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 134 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 161 wetlands’ ecological integrity and protecting their environmental sensitivity from non-sustainable exploitation. The DLUP has identified wetlands or parts of wetlands totaling 8,918 ha that should be proposed for conservation/protection awaiting further studies. These are wetlands characterized by water lodged for most of the year, mainly occupied by natural plants such as papyrus and hosting animals such as mammals, birds, amphibians, and a rich variety of insects. Their protection will have a positive impact on climate by mitigating recurrent droughts and flooding in the District. In addition, all of the wetlands' buffer zones totaling 988.3 ha need to be conserved and they should be used in accordance with the zoning regulations. Wetlands in Kirehe District should be used as follows: ● Protection of the wetlands marked to be preserved. ● Opening up for conditional use of unprotected wetlands for agriculture (complying with guidelines). ● Allowing for some wetlands or parts of the wetlands to be used conditionally for other uses, e.g., recreation, research, tourism, etc. ● Conservation of all wetland buffer zones. ● There is a need for research on the systematic restoration of degraded wetlands in the country. ● For the wetlands which are identified for conditional use, their proposed use(s) should be guided by undertaking Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to ensure their sustainable utilization. S/N Name of Sector Existing Wetland Purpose of the wetland Area (ha) of the wetland Wetland biodiversity holding Buffer Zone and use of buffer 1 Nyamugari, Mahama, Mpanga, Nasho Akagera-aval Conservation 4,241.91 2 Mpanga Mwoga Conservation 65.78 3 Mpanga Nyanjogaruke Conservation 19.00 4 5 6 7 Kigarama Nasho Kayanza, Kinoni II Rubilizi-Gicaca Conservation 81.00 Conservation 321.74 Gahara, Musaza, Kigarama Gahara Akagera-Amont Conservation 3,617.19 Rwagitugusa, Rwimondo, Nyabugongwe Conservation 571.55 Natural vegetation Natural vegetation Natural vegetation Natural vegetation Natural vegetation Natural vegetation Natural vegetation Table 33: Identified wetlands or parts of wetlands proposed for conservation Not protected, some agriculture activities are observed Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 135 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 162 With emphasis on the integration of wetland conservation and buffer zone protection into land use planning processes, there is a promotion of the adaptation of sustainable development practices such as zoning regulations and setback requirements, to safeguard buffer zones from encroachment and detrimental land uses. Map 40: Proposed Wetland use in Kirehe District, 2022 4.7.3 Water bodies Countrywide, water bodies occupy 6.2 % of the total area of the country, accounting for about 1,537 km2. Most of the lakes and rivers are fed by marshes, which in turn are fed by shallow groundwater and seasonal floods. In total, there are 101 lakes covering 149,487 ha, and 861 rivers totaling a length of 6,462 km in Rwanda. The central pressures on water resources result from utilizing the natural resources to meet basic household needs as well as social-economic development, e.g. agriculture (NLUDMP 2020-2050). The entire Eastern Province is part of the Akagera Basin (Rwandan Nile Basin). It originates in the western mountains of Rwanda, as the Nyabarongo River. It becomes Akagera River where Akanyaru meets Nyabarongo and enters the Eastern Province just south of Kigali, where it forms Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 136 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 163 the border to Bugesera District and enters into Lake Rweru. From there, it flows towards the east along the Burundian border and continues along the Rwanda-Tanzania border all the way to the border with Uganda in the north. From there, its flow direction changes towards the east along the Tanzania-Uganda border until it finally flows into Lake Victoria. 4.7.3.1 Existing Situation in Kirehe District The main commercial role of water bodies are found in agriculture and fishing activities. Kirehe District has a well-developed irrigation system meant to irrigate crops, especially vegetables. However, with an increase in the production capacity of crops, the dykes in the irrigation system face challenges due to change of water quality. For example, KinoniI dyke is affected by sedimentation and Mahama dyke is affected by eutrophication. There are fishing activities in five of the lakes in the District. Lakes Cyambwe, Rwampanga and Nyabugongwe are used for fish production where fish is also restocked in dykes and lakes to generate income for the people in the area. Rusumo falls at River Akagera, at the border with Tanzania, and lakes such as Rwampanga, Cyambwe, Nyabugongwe and its pleasant landscapes, constitute significant resources in the tourism industry. Name Sector Mushikiri Nyamugali Kirehe & Musaza Kigarama & Kigina Kigarama Mahama Nasho, Mpanga Nasho of Name of Cell Rwanyamuhanga, Cyamigurwa Nyamugali Nyabikokora/Runyinya Type of water body (dam, dyke or pond) Cyunuzi dam the of Use Water body Agriculture Buffer one and use in buffer Protected by bamboo plantations Nyamugali dam Sagatare dam Agriculture Agriculture Gatarama/Kiremera Kinoni I dam Agriculture Kiremera Munini Mpanga, Cyambwe, Rubirizi Rubirizi Kinoni II dam Mahama dam CYAMBWE Lake Nasho (Rwakigeri) Lakes Nyabugongwe lake Gahara Nyagasenyi Mpanga Mpanga , Mushongi Rwampanga Lake Nyamugali Kagasa Table 34: Existing water bodies in Kirehe District Agriculture Agriculture Agriculture, Fisheries Agriculture, Fisheries Agriculture, Fisheries Agriculture, Fisheries Fisheries Agricultural activities Protected by bamboo plantations, agroforestry but agricultural activities are observed Fisheries activities Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 137 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 164 ● All water bodies have climate change impact of reduction of drought effects and increases production of agriculture and fisheries activities; ● Water bodies hold a variety of biodiversity with the advantage of anthropogenic impact as they are used for irrigation and production of cereals, vegetables and increase food security. ● Rwampanga lake and most of the dam are well protected from erosion as their buffer zones are used sustainably (protected by bamboo, or agroforestry with less agriculture), while Nasho (Rwakigeri), Cyambwe and Nyabugogwe lakes as well as Mahama dams are threatened by agricultural activities being practiced in their buffer areas. Map 41: Water Bodies and Drainage in Kirehe District 4.7.3.2 Planning Perspectives Water bodies have to be protected for their economic and ecological value. In the implementation of NLUDMP 2020-2050, the following is recommended: Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 138 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 165 - Ensuring that all water bodies and their buffer zones are fully protected, particularly prohibiting settlements within 50 m from lakeshores, and 10 m for rivers. Buffer zones can be used for forestry, tourism and conservation efforts. - Ensuring policies relating to water resources extraction and protection with a focus on enhancing saving and water conservation are aligned with NLUDMP 2020-2050. 4.7.4 Mining The Government of Rwanda recognizes that the mining sector has the potential to become one of the drivers of long-term sustainable growth through economic transformation, industrialization and inclusive growth, taking into account environmental and social considerations and using green mining techniques. 4.7.4.1 Existing Situation in Kirehe In Kirehe District, there are natural resources such as minerals and gravel stones, rocks, clay and sand that can be extracted for increased economic growth. Wolfram, cassiterite, coltan, clay, stones and sand are the types of minerals found in the District. Mining sites are found in Cyobaharaye, Bukorasi and Nyabitare in Gahara Sector. All Sectors of Kirehe District are rich in stone, specifically Nyarubuye, Musaza, and Mushikiri, which can be used to produce other products that are marketable in Rwanda and East Africa, like mineral deposits for quarries and mining. In Kirehe District, extraction of minerals is widely practiced. The RMB, which is the government agency to manage licensing for all mining/quarrying activities, lists 47 owners of the quarry sites conducting quarrying activities in the District as shown on the map below (figure 86). Some of the mining sites are owned by the state while others are privately exploited. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 139 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 166 Map 42: Quarry sites and Concessions 4.7.4.2 Planning Perspectives A feasibility study for a glass manufacturing plant in Rwanda on the geology exploration was conducted by RDB in Kirehe District to explore a possible quartz deposit. A conservative estimation of the size of the reserve is over 55 million tons. However, the analysis was limited to the boreholes’ location and quantity of drilling operations. Therefore, further analysis of the deposit might result in an exponentially higher evaluation of the reserves. The deposit is showing a very good quality and is suitable for clear container and float glass production, possibly also for solar glass production. Given the size of the deposit, exploitation might be possible for 50 years or longer. The following maps show alternative proposed locations in Kirehe District of mining sites and the locations allocated by the DLUP, following a stakeholder field consultation conducted. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 140 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 167 Source: RDB, A Feasibility Study for a Glass Manufacturing Plant in Rwanda, Final Report, Dec 2020 The different sites proposed by the DLUP in Nyarubuye, Mushikiri and Nasho Sectors for the development of quarrying activities for the glass manufacturing industry. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 141 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 168 Map 43: Proposed sites for industrial quarrying Abandoned or disused quarries negatively impact ecosystems, pose safety risks, and cause erosion. Therefore, they are designated for restoration or rehabilitation, rather than development. The District, in collaboration with environmental stakeholders, will enforce programs for orderly decommissioning and rehabilitation of mining sites. This includes developing a mining drainage and leachate management plan to protect rivers, streams, and water quality. 4.7.5 Green Urbanization In order to implement the National Green Growth and Climate Resilient Strategy (GGCRS), green principles should be key priorities integrated in the planning of different land use categories. The two programs principles under urbanization to be focused on during planning and implementation include an integrated approach to sustainable land use planning and management and low carbon urban systems that focus on promoting green efficiency in master plan and building designs. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 142 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 169 4.7.5.1 Planning Perspectives A number of interventions must be implemented for sustainable development of the District. Therefore, for Kirehe District green urbanization the following is recommended: ⮚ Ensuring that all urban development processes incorporate climate risk and low-emission strategies on all the proposed activities. ⮚ Promote climate-resilient human settlements and prevent informal settlements, as well as upgrading the existing ones. ⮚ All investment in the proposed urban areas should have integrated, resilient, reliable and sustainable infrastructure which will enable the District to adapt to climate change and function efficiently at the local level ⮚ All green infrastructure projects should be designed to complement gray infrastructure systems performing a combination of volume management, water quality improvement, and flood control; ⮚ For all the urban developments, there should be identification and strengthening of the value of greenbelts and green spaces. ⮚ All urban development plans and programs must support urban agriculture areas and programs to enhance food security in urban areas. ⮚ Have the operators in the industrial parks that go for cleaner and greener production and support the zero waste economy and circular economy in their production activities. ⮚ Ensure that industrial parks are well supported in green planning, green technology, and production practices. ⮚ Ensure that Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is undertaken for all land-use master plans to ensure their sustainability. 4.7.6 Waste Management The amount of solid waste is increasing as a result of rapid growth and migration from rural to urban regions. The fast growing urban population has a significant socio-economic and environmental impact on solid waste management techniques. The Rwandan goal is to provide 100% of the population with access to an improved type of sanitation system. Improved sanitation systems are considered to include flush toilets, Ecosan toilets and pit latrines with solid slabs. 4.7.6.1 Liquid waste a) Existing Situation The current methods of wastewater disposal in Kirehe District include on-site containment systems such as pit latrines (at household level) and septic tanks in institutions (hospitals, schools, commercial buildings and few households with high living standards). In most cases, when the pits are full, they are abandoned and replaced with new ones. The maintenance of these facilities on household level lies with the owner, in both rural and urban areas. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 143 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 170 Non-domestic wastewater is discharged untreated into stormwater channels. This contaminates the stream channels and leads to clogging of channels due to sedimentation and debris disposal in the downstream channel. Besides being an environmental hazard, this puts additional strain on the limited stormwater infrastructure that is not sized to accommodate wastewater. Considering the Rwanda National Integrated Water Supply and Sanitation Master Plan (2016), there is a gap in the sanitation component as the master plan primarily focuses on water supply. This master plan is also providing guidelines for planning and implementation strategies on waste management. b) Planning Perspectives The implementation of a piped wastewater network is not technically or economically feasible in most parts of Kirehe District due to low wastewater flow rates and scattered settlements. On-site sanitation and semi centralised systems remain the most viable options for disposal of wastewater in rural areas. For urban areas, where population densities are high, it will be more practical to provide a piped sewer network. Careful water source monitoring is required of the waste water from industries to prevent discharge of high levels of pollutants. The provision of training to District technicians on sustainable wastewater management measures needs to be developed and implemented. A centralized sewerage system may not be feasible or cost-effective for all areas of Kirehe District. There should be an assessment on the remaining areas to determine suitable on-site sanitation solutions, such as improved pit latrines, decentralized wastewater treatment systems, or other appropriate technologies. The plan should consider factors such as population density, geographic conditions, cultural practices, and community preferences to identify the most suitable options. 4.7.6.2 Solid waste a) Existing Situation The main objective of solid waste management is to collect, treat and dispose of waste in an environmentally and socially satisfactory manner using the most economical means available. The responsibility of providing solid waste management services normally rests with local authorities, Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 144 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 171 although the emerging trend is involvement of private waste collectors with households bearing the cost. As cities grow, both spatially and economically, business activity and consumption patterns drive up solid waste quantities. At the same time, increased traffic congestion adversely affects the productivity of the solid waste fleet. Efficient collection and disposal of solid waste is critical to protect the environment as well as the health of the population. In order to address these concerns, an Integrated Waste Management Plan (IWMP) is required for Kirehe District. Types of Waste generated in Kirehe District Different types of waste are generated in Kirehe District and are classified into 3 main categories: Organic Waste – Biodegradable waste is the main type of waste generated in Kirehe District considering the consumption factor. Examples of organic waste are food waste, biomass and garden waste. They are usually disposed of directly into the open land in some areas or used as compost. Recycling and re-use of the organic waste have been initiated through the District, but is still at very low levels. Non-organic Waste – Electronics plastic, paper, glass, metal, and combustibles are the most common materials of non-biodegradable waste. Recycling of non-organic waste is not common in the District. However, there is a national ban on the use of plastic bags which has helped to reduce the volume of non-organic waste in the city. Hazardous Waste – Any waste that poses threat to human health and the environment is classified as hazardous waste. They are mainly generated by hospitals, industries and other facilities. Currently, hazardous waste is disposed of at incinerators and is not taken to a dump site. b) Planning Perspectives The location of the existing solid waste collection site is deemed unsuitable. A new site is proposed in Nyabikokora, Kigarama Sector for the construction of a collection center for facilitating solid waste management within the District. The site measures 4.44 ha. However, in order to prevent waste from being dumped, an efficient waste collection system must be in place, along with a public Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 145 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 172 awareness campaign in urban areas and the main emerging center. Moreover, recycling practices must be introduced in all settlements for the aim of resource sustainability as well as land use efficiency. Implementing waste segregation at the household and community levels can facilitate more efficient collection and disposal processes. It should emphasize the need for coordination and collaboration between relevant government agencies, stakeholders, and communities to ensure a comprehensive and sustainable approach to waste management. The collection center at Kirehe should comply with the collection according to the types of waste generated (organic, recyclable, and hazardous waste) to favor their transport to the regional landfill in Rwamagana A Waste Management Plan should address the efficient collection and transportation of waste. This involves developing a well-structured waste collection system, including the establishment of collection points, schedules, and appropriate collection vehicles. Efficient waste collection can help prevent the accumulation of waste, reduce environmental pollution, and maintain public health. Considering the economic factor, the Waste Management plan should recognize the economic aspects of solid waste management. It requires research on the cost-effectiveness of different waste management options, considering factors such as investment requirements, operation and maintenance costs, and potential revenue streams from waste recovery or recycling. Economic incentives and mechanisms, such as extended producer responsibility or waste-to-energy incentives, can be explored to encourage sustainable waste management practices. The District and relevant stakeholders should strongly support in prioritizing public awareness campaigns, education, and community engagement initiatives to promote waste reduction, proper waste disposal, and recycling practices. Encouraging behavior change and fostering a sense of ownership among citizens can significantly contribute to the success of waste management efforts. 4.7.7 Stormwater Management The stormwater management system in urban areas of Rwanda consists mainly of drainage channels to divert runoff from urban areas to streams and rivers. However, there are laws, policies, and by- laws related to stormwater management in Rwanda. Article 28 of the Law governing roads in Rwanda talks about water drainage system activities related to water drainage systems. Apart from Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 146 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 173 this, the latest ‘Sanitation Policy and Sanitation implementation strategies’ includes ‘storm water management’ as one of the objectives for the policy vision. 4.7.7.1 Existing Situation The road drainage system aims to effectively collect and divert all water that is gathered on and around the road. If adequately designed, it can help to manage a large part of the runoff from the catchment uphill of the road, and avoid water logging upstream. During the field visits in different sectors, varying degrees of water-related road drainage channels were observed. Gully development along roads that are lacking water diverting structures causes damage in areas with thick soils and erosion downstream of drifts and culverts. Other water related problems found were culverts fully or partially clogged, road segments lacking side drains and side drains not connected to culverts or points for runoff discharge. This, together with the lack of proper maintenance, causes the stormwater network to fail. Some wetlands and settlements are affected by stormwater due to lack of rainwater harvesting systems and drainage systems. Implementation of terrace programs, afforestation, and restoring forest cover schemes will aim at increasing erosion control, protection of wetlands and buffer zones to address and mitigate flooding. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 147 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 174 Map 44: Kirehe District Drainage As is shown on the map, the drainage system follows many parameters including the road networks, contours, streams and the neighborhood plan as well as respecting the rules of flowing order. The drainage network represents the natural stream pathways. It is recommended that it should be considered while constructing any roads, settlements and infrastructures as it otherwise has a high influence on the natural flow of water which can cause damages to the entire landscape if not respected. 4.7.7.2 Planning Perspectives An integrated and holistic stormwater management plan is recommended, combining physical and neighborhood planning with other economic sectors and land uses. In addition, the building plan approval process requires including a stormwater management plan to address how stormwater will be controlled on the site and points out the areas downstream of the site that could potentially be affected. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 148 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 175 Recommended Criteria to set the Drainage Layout: Topography: Drainage lines should be based on contours lines (topography) of the landscape, i.e. stormwater will flow from high elevations to low elevations. Existing roads: Drainage channels were set to the existing road network. This will minimize new excavations and costly land expropriation. Natural Drainage: Water flows in natural drainage, why all drainage channels were overlaid on existing flow directions and flow accumulations. Land Use Zoning: Residential areas were considered during setting out of the drainage layout, agriculture areas were not prioritized supposing water will infiltrate in cultivated areas. Stream Network: Each channel discharges in a stream or a river. This will ease evacuation of storm water without long, expensive channels. In addition, rainwater harvesting systems are recommended in urban areas where each house should collect water from the roof and any other surfaces within the plot. Map of flooding susceptibility in Kirehe District Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 149 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 176 Map 45: Flood susceptibility The flood susceptibility mapping is an essential tool for understanding and assessing areas that are prone to flooding considering the planned land uses. The methodology used involves a systematic analysis of various factors that contribute to the occurrence and severity of floods. This includes gathering information on historical flood events, rainfall patterns, river flow data, topography, land use/land cover, soil characteristics, and drainage systems. Different factors that have influence on the flood occurrence are elevation, slope, proximity to rivers or other water bodies, land cover types, soil permeability, and rainfall intensity. In Kirehe District the areas prone to flooding are mainly located along the water bodies (river and lakes). A special focus has to be on the crop land in Nasho (Ntaruka and Kagese Cell), Musaza Sector (Mubuga Cell) and Mpanga Sector (Nyakabungo cell) as these are high risk flood prone areas. In addition, the establishment of modern terraces, water harvesting practices and construction of gullies will contribute to mitigating the risk for flooding, erosion, and landslides in the District. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 150 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 177 4.8 Tourism and Conservation Tourism remains the country’s top foreign exchange earner for more than a decade, and is a major drive for Rwanda’s economic growth, development, and poverty alleviation. The Government of Rwanda has set tourism sector specific development strategies aimed at ensuring that it benefits local communities and contributes to the national economy. This is clearly highlighted in the National Tourism Policy and the Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism Development. Tourism is recognized as an essential economic sector with potential to boost domestic economic growth and development, by contributing to poverty eradication, job creation, export growth and prosperity through revenues generated from the tourism industry. Over the past decades, the tourism and hospitality sector has emerged as an important driver of growth and employment for the Rwandan economy. In 2019, the sector directly employed slightly over 164,000 people (4% of the labour force) across different education and skill levels. It has also been the biggest employer for women and the youth. The Government has made significant investments into leisure tourism and most recently the MICE sector. As of 2019, tourism contributed an estimated 3.6% to GDP, and the sector is expected to grow over the next 10 years. As Rwanda recovers from the pandemic, tourism and hospitality will continue to be important and would require continued efforts around skill development (RDB: Tourism and Hospitality report, 2021). In order to achieve the above objective, there is need for proactive tourism product diversification including but not limited to key niche products with great potential such as adventure, birding, community-based tourism, MICE tourism coupled with required soft skills in terms of guiding and storytelling to cater for travelers’ expectations. The projected 2050 contribution of each tourism segment is shown in the table below. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 151 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 178 Tourism Segments Meetings, Incentives, Conference & Exhibition (MICE) Wildlife Cultural and Historical Religious Medical Educational Adventure Water- Bases Tourism Expected total GDP contribution (%) 25 20 15 7 5 3 10 15 International Domestic 20 12 5 3 5 3 8 8 5 8 10 4 - - 2 7 Table 35: Tourism segment in Rwanda by 2050 4.8.1 Tourism Development for Kirehe District “Kirehe District, a destination for adventure tourism offering a huge variety of attractions: hiking, biking, downhill racing and adventure sport & recreational activities.” The location of Kirehe District gives it a particular advantage for tourism promotion. There are sites that are likely to be developed such as Nyarubuye, Mushikiri, and Rusumo Falls at River Akagera at the Tanzanian border, and some lakes like Rwampanga, Cyambwe, and Nyabugongwe and its pleasant landscape constitute significant resources in tourism industry. Artisans are another value addition through its variety of crafts that can generate income. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 152 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 179 Map 46: Tourism Development for Kirehe District 4.8.2 Planned tourism zones in Kirehe DLUP Tourism Site Name Type / Description Sector Remera Mountain Recreation/Adventure, offering scenic viewpoints to Cyambwe and Mpanga Lakes Nyarubuye, Mpanga Nyarubuye memorial site Historical Nyabitare memorial site Historical Imigongo arts Historical/Cultural Nyarubuye Nyarubuye Nyarubuye Ibitare bya Nyarubuye Recreation/Adventure, downhill mountain biking Nyarubuye Regional Rusumo Falls and Hydropower Recreation/Adventure Nyamugali Akagera River Adventure Nyamugali, Kigarama Cyanjuna Mountain Recreation/Adventure, scenic viewpoint Lake Cyambwe Recreation/Adventure, wildlife and fishing Lake Nasho Recreation/Adventure Nasho Nasho Nasho Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 153 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 180 Nyamurindira Mountain Recreation/Adventure Lake Rwampanga Recreation/Adventure Nasho Irrigation Scheme Recreation/Adventure Nasho Solar power plant Technological Agatwe ka Musaza Recreation/Adventure Ibanda Makera natural forest Recreation/Adventure Nyakarambi memorial site Historical Nasho Nasho Nasho Nasho Musaza Mpanga Kirehe Rwamuzungu Rock Historical Nyamugali Table 36: Touristic Sites in Kirehe District Figure 44: Tourism products and sites (Source: Kirehe District) Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 154 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 181 Rural areas in Kirehe District (Gisaka-Migongo) cannot expect tourists visiting daily from large cities such as Kigali, Musanze or Rubavu due to long distances and travel time. Tourism facilities and programs which correspond to medium-long stays should be developed and introduced in the District. It is necessary to consider that the tourism business cannot become a major income measure in rural areas. In this sense, consideration of symbiotic tourism development with rural activities becomes quite important. Based on the ideas of conservation of rural industries, activities, and cultures, the following tourism programs can be considered for rural areas in Kirehe District: ● Development of a Community Based Tourism station (Gisaka-Migongo) ● Sports program: Offer sport fields using pastures, hiking and biking, canyoning, horse riding, whitewater rafting on Akagera River and the small lakes on Nasho and Mpanga. Establishing a volleyball centre at Kirehe Secondary City will be an added advantage ● Agro-tourism: Real-experience tours can be applied for this program by promoting tourism in Nasho, Mpanga and Mahama irrigation schemes. ● Eco-Museum: The idea of an ecomuseum connecting the network of existing rural historical, cultural, industrial and environmental elements. It intends to be a field museum using elements on sites like Imigongo. Research tourism and the preservation of unique ecosystems and wildlife have to be achieved in the core area. The buffer zone on Akagera River and local lakes is subject to lower protection, as it needs to cope with the demands of local subsistence farmers for forest products. ● Developing tourism activities within the sites listed above, prioritizing Rusumo zone which has more opportunities like Rusumo Falls jumping. Amabere y’inkumi climbing, Rusumo bridge, Rusumo Hydropower and a possible development of cable car joining Rusumo hills ● Development of historical places which include Lake Cyambwe, Kamiramugezi, Rwamuzungu Rock, and Akagera River, but especially Rusumo falls. ● Extend the initiated Gisaka Race event to organizing The Downhill Mountain Bike Competition as an annual event taking place in Kirehe District, Nyarubuye and Nasho Sectors; ● Making present resources prolific (home to crocodiles in Cyambwe and Kamiramugezi lakes that may interest tourists). ● Commissioning a Development of a Physical and Ecotourism specific plan project for Kirehe touristic zones; ● Put in plan directional signages for all Kirehe touristic destinations as a quick win; Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 155 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 182 4.9 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 4.9.1 National Context on Economic Development Rwanda aspires to achieve sustained economic growth over the long term, creating wealth for all Rwandans. The country has set a goal to become an upper-middle-income country by 2035 and a high-income country (HIC) by 2050. Quantitatively, this means that by 2035, Rwanda aims to achieve a GDP per capita of over USD 4,036 and a GDP per capita of over USD 12,476 by 2050. Achieving these targets will require high and sustained economic growth, driven by a focus on key sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, and services. Achieving Rwanda's economic aspirations will require sustained effort and investment over the long term. The country has made significant progress in recent years, with improvements in key sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing. However, challenges remain, particularly in areas such as infrastructure development and access to finance. Furthermore, the projected demographic changes will have significant implications for policy development, particularly in areas such as education, healthcare, and employment. The growth in the working-age population presents an opportunity for the country to expand its workforce and drive economic growth, but this will require targeted investments in skills development and job creation. 4.9.2 Employment situation in Kirehe District 4.9.2.1 Existing Employment Opportunities in the District Kirehe District is experiencing significant development across various sectors, aligning with the objectives outlined in the District Development Strategy (DDS) for 2018-2024. These developments are unlocking numerous economic potentialities, particularly in the realms of agriculture, manufacturing, mining, tourism, and arts and crafts. These potentialities are instrumental in fostering employment opportunities, contributing to the District’s economic growth and enhancing the livelihoods of its residents. ● Land for Agri-Business: Kirehe District possesses extensive land suitable for agro-based production. Key agricultural products include rice, maize, banana, cassava, coffee, pineapple, beans, fish, milk, and fruits. The cultivation and processing of these products not Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 156 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 183 only boost the local economy but also create numerous jobs across the agricultural value chain, from farming and harvesting to processing and marketing. ● Large Marshlands for Agribusiness: The District is home to several large marshlands such as Kambwire, Kijumbura, Binoni, Gashongi, Kinnyogo, Cyunuzi, and Sagatare, which are particularly suitable for rice cultivation. The development of these marshlands for agribusiness enhances rice production, leading to increased employment in farming, irrigation management, and associated agribusiness activities. ● Forests for Manufacturing Development: The Nyakarambi Integrated Craft Production Center leverages the District's forest resources to stimulate manufacturing development. This initiative supports the creation of jobs in the production of crafts and other forest-based products, contributing to the local economy. ● Forests for Agribusiness: The District's forests also provide resources for honey production, a significant agribusiness activity. Honey production not only supports biodiversity but also creates employment opportunities in beekeeping, honey extraction, processing, and marketing. ● Mineral Deposits: Kirehe District is rich in mineral deposits, including wolfram, cassiterite, coltan, clay, stones, and sand. The mining sector offers substantial employment opportunities in mineral extraction, processing, and related industries, thus contributing to the district's economic development; ● Attractions for Tourism: The District has a variety of tourism attractions such as Cyanjuna and Remera mountains, lakes Nasho, Rwampanga, and Cyambwe, the Akagera River, Rusumo Falls, and Rwakigeri Island. These attractions are pivotal in developing the tourism sector, creating jobs in hospitality, tour guiding, transportation, and tourism-related services. ● Arts and Crafts for Manufacturing Development: Kirehe District has a vibrant arts and crafts sector, which plays a crucial role in manufacturing development. This sector not only preserves cultural heritage but also provides employment in the creation, marketing, and sale of arts and crafts products. 4.9.2.2 Current employment status in Kirehe District According to the Thematic Report for Economic Activity (EICV 5), the working age population in Kirehe District is approximately 211,000 with a working population ratio of 87.1 %. In terms of job status, the breakdown is as follows: 19.5% are engaged in wage farming activities, 9.5% in non- wage farming activities, 65.7% are independent farmers, 4.8% are independent non-farmers and Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 157 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 184 0.5% are unpaid farmers. When considering the distribution of these individuals across broad economic sectors, 77.5 % are employed in the agricultural sector, 9.2 % in industry, and 13.3 % in services. Recognizing the significance of employment creation in addressing the country’s rapid population growth, poverty reduction, and overall economic growth, the government has made it a priority. In Kirehe DDS 2018-2024, it is outlined that the aim is to create 22,500 productive jobs by 2024, with a particular emphasis on empowering youth and women. To better illustrate the current status of employment creation in Kirehe a visual representation is provided below: Figure 45: Employment by branch of economic activity (Kirehe District), RLFS 2022 Based on the data presented in the figure above, agriculture encompasses a substantial 70.7 % of the District's total employment. This underscores the vital role of agriculture as a major employer in the region, emphasizing the significance of the sector in supporting livelihoods. The construction sector represents 6.5% of the total employment in the District. This sector's role in infrastructure development and employment creation is vital for fostering economic growth and development. Wholesale and retail trade, along with the repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, accounts for Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 158 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 185 5.1 % of the total employment. This highlights the importance of commerce and vehicle-related services as contributors to local job opportunities and economic activities. 4.9.2.3 Planned perspective on Employment Opportunities in the District Using the base of RLFS done by NISR for 2022, plus the percentage estimates as presented in the NLUDMP 2020-2050, employment in the District can be grouped into five main categories: ● Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing ● Mining and Quarrying ● Construction ● Manufacturing and ● Services The methodology for employment projection in Kirehe District involved cascading the assumptions outlined in NLUDMP 2020-2050 down to the District level taking into consideration the economic specialization of the District to ensure the alignment with the guidelines provided by NLUDMP 2020-2050, allowing for accurate and consistent estimation as presented in the table below: Sector of activity Formal Employment 2050 Agriculture, forestry and fishing Mining and quarrying Manufacturing + high-tech Construction Services Number of Employment to be created 376,362 41,794 20,021 97,657 50,052 166,839 Table 37: Employment opportunities in Kirehe District by 2050 As cities continue to grow and employment opportunities expand, the service sector is expected to become the biggest employer, particularly in commerce. Projections suggest that by 2050, nearly half (around 44.3%) of all new jobs will be in services. Manufacturing and high-tech industries are also anticipated to play a key role, creating an estimated 25.9% of the total employment to be created. The construction will see a significant shift in importance. Unlike the present situation, it will be crucial for creating 13.3% of the total employment by building modern infrastructure to support this growth. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 159 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 186 Agriculture's role in employment is expected to shrink to 11.1% by 2050. This is likely due to the adoption of modern agricultural practices. The mining sector is likewise predicted to contribute only 5.3% of new jobs. 4.9.3 Trade and Logistics in Kirehe 4.9.3.1 Commercial and Trade Marketplaces in Kirehe District currently do not provide the sufficient level of service requested by the vendors in terms of facilities and comfort. Although the number of market vendors has increased, the space available has not increased accordingly. Some markets are not well roofed, and lack access to water and electricity. The trade sector has recommended that ample market space for the growing population is allocated in the DLUP. Traders have also expressed discontent with cooperative-managed marketplaces, instead suggesting that the government take the lead in constructing these new marketplaces, also confirming their willingness to contribute money to the construction efforts. This high economic growth has spurred the trade, industry and tourism sectors which have been enhanced by the strategic location of Kirehe District. There are employment opportunities linked to the development of tourism, recreation, water transport and fish farming and production. Additionally, given the close proximity to Kigali City, with high rapid industrial development, attractive business environment, and upgraded infrastructures in place, the District provides good future employment opportunities. The table below shows the growth of business establishments in 2014 and 2017. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 160 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 187 District Kirehe Nyagatare Gatsibo Kayonza Kirehe Ngoma Bugesera Number of establishments 2014 4,853 6,038 4,479 3,896 4,075 4,027 5,440 Number of establishments 2017 6,045 6,606 4,941 5,267 5,832 4,706 6,650 New Enterprises 1,192 568 462 1,371 1,757 679 1,210 Growth (%) 25 9 10 35 43 17 22 Table 38: Number of businesses established 4.9.3.2 Logistics Logistics refers to the overall process of managing how resources are acquired, stored, and transported to their final destination. Logistics management involves identifying prospective distributors and suppliers and determining their effectiveness and accessibility. As a cross border District, Kirehe District is an entry point to the Southern Corridor and the most important One Stop Border post at Rusumo. Rusumo-Kiyanzi, also known as Rusumo Border Post, is a border crossing point between Rwanda, Tanzania, and Burundi. It is situated in the Rusumo region, near the Rusumo Falls, which is a natural boundary between the countries. In 2020, with the spread of COVID-19, Kiyanzi Dry Port which was a green field located at about 10 km from Rusumo Border Post, was created and operationalized as part of the government’s efforts to prevent the spread of the pandemic while facilitating continuous movement of cargo across the region. Since then, Kiyanzi Dry Port serves as a customs logistical point where trans- border truck drivers can get different services such as sanitary services and accommodation among others. Clearance procedures that were previously conducted to Kigali have been temporarily relocated to Kiyanzi DP. The facility has a parking area that can accommodate 350 trucks, and 4 warehouses that accommodate more than 100 containers and handle 150 trucks per day. In order to expedite the clearance process at Kiyanzi, the site operates as a one stop center. All key public and private stakeholders in logistics and clearance of goods were present at Kiyanzi DP, including all regulatory agencies, warehouse operators with their equipment to facilitate logistics. Another dry port was also operated in Gatore centre and the DLUP proposes to develop more infrastructures to maintain operations and extend services mainly at Rusumo-Kiyanzi. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 161 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 188 Figure 46: Rusumo border post (Field 2022) Figure 47: Kiyanzi Dry port (2020) Source: Internet When it comes to logistics in Rusumo Kiyanzi, several factors play a significant role: ● Customs and Border Procedures: Rusumo-Kiyanzi is an important entry point for trade and transportation between Rwanda, Tanzania, and Burundi. As such, customs and border procedures are crucial for logistics operations. Goods and vehicles crossing the border need to comply with the customs regulations of each country. Documentation, inspections, and clearances are required to ensure smooth transit. ● Infrastructure: The efficiency of logistics operations depends on the quality of infrastructure. Rusumo-Kiyanzi has seen various infrastructure developments to enhance trade and transportation. This includes the construction of roads, bridges, and border facilities to accommodate the increasing volume of traffic. ● Transportation: The movement of goods and people relies on effective transportation networks. Road transport is the primary mode of transportation in the region, with trucks and buses being the main vehicles for cargo and passenger movements. Efficient transportation services are essential to ensure timely delivery and minimize delays. ● Warehousing and Storage: Adequate warehousing and storage facilities are necessary for handling goods during transit. Warehouses near Rusumo Kiyanzi provide temporary storage and consolidation services, allowing for the smooth flow of goods and minimizing congestion at the border. ● Cross-Border Trade: Rusumo Kiyanzi plays a crucial role in facilitating cross-border trade among the countries in the region. Trade agreements, customs harmonization, and streamlined procedures help promote efficient logistics operations and boost economic activities. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 162 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 189 ● Border Security: Border security measures are in place to maintain law and order, prevent illegal activities, and ensure the safety of goods and people. Security checks and patrols help maintain a secure environment for logistics operations. 4.9.4 Industrialization 4.9.4.1 Light industries Light industries are usually less capital-intensive than heavy industry and are more consumer- oriented than business-oriented, as they typically produce smaller consumer goods. Most light industry products are produced for end users rather than as intermediates for use by other industries, and they typically have less environmental impact than those associated with heavy industry. In Kirehe District, there are small-scale agro-processing industries (pineapple, wine, perfumes, maize flour and rice). Almost 50% of all coffee washing stations are in the rural Sectors of the District. These industries are spatially distributed in 10 Sectors out of the 12 that count Kirehe District. The existing industrial park is not yet fully developed. All industries have access to clean water and electricity. The following table is providing details on existing factories and industries in Kirehe District. Name of Sector Name of Cell Name of Industry GAHARA GATORE KIGARAMA KIGINA KIREHE MAHAMA MPANGA MUSAZA MUSHIKIRI Rubimba Murehe Butezi Nyagasenyi Nyakagezi Curazo Rwantonde Nyamirwango Kigarama Rwanteru Rwanteru Nyabigega Kamombo Nyakabungo Nyakabungo Musaza TUZAMURANE CTAGA UNGUKA MUHINZI COIDIGA IKIREZI GISAKA TRADING GISAKA TRADING MUNYASE TRADING KOAKAKI KAWUNGA FREEDOM UBUZIMABWIZA KIREHE RICE ROSALI SHOP RWACOFFEE ENAS COCAMU +ISAKA COFFEE NYAKABANDE COFFEE MUGINA COFFEE Product Pineapple Wine Coffee+ Wine Perfumes Coffee Coffee Coffee Coffee Maize Flour Maize Flour Rice Wine Coffee Coffee Coffee Coffee Coffee Coffee Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 163 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 190 NASHO Rubirizi Ntaruka Rugoma URWAGWA ISHEMA LID COMPANY RTUC Banana Wine Coffee Coffee Table 39: Existing Industries in Kirehe District 4.9.4.2 Industries Development Perspectives in the District Rwanda is highly ambitious in terms of its plans for per capita income growth over the medium- to long-term. It has settled an industrial policy that provides adequate support to those objectives. While Rwanda has been successful in promoting productivity growth through structural change, within-sector productivity growth has recently slowed down, and this in turn has led to a relative stagnation of aggregate productivity growth. Kirehe District is one of the eight Secondary or peripheral cities that will be developed in the second phase according to NLUDMP 2020-2050. The Kirehe DLUP has proposed and allocated sufficient land in two sites for the development of general industry in Kirehe Secondary City, and light industries in Nasho Rurban Centre. This as a response to the proposed strategy of serving the peripheries of the country and playing the role in cross-border opportunities and trade, including the Rusumo border expected to get busier once the planned railway route from Tanzania to Kigali is complete. Trade and logistics shall grow with the proposed improvement in irrigation, as agriculture yields shall increase, and subsequently, processing industries shall be established. The industrial zone in Nasho Rurban Center will be reserved for light and agro-processing industries, while the industrial park site in Kirehe Secondary City will accommodate general and heavy industries. Other small zones have been allocated in different settlements to help create and increase job opportunities in the District according to density norms of 64 employees/ha and the land requirements for various industrial zones (light industrial of 60.5 ha, general industrial park of 62.6 ha) and six sites have been allocated for mining/quarrying of 330.31 ha in Nyarubuye, Mushikiri and Nasho Sectors. 4.10 KIREHE DISTRICT LAND USE BALANCE SHEET The land use balance sheet is the summary from balancing all thematic sectors and land requirements for current and future prospects, where land is allocated to each sector based on District potential, planning priorities and future needs. The objective of the DLUP is to manage the Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 164 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 191 effective use of available land resources and guide future development in line with the NLUDMP 2020-2050. 4.10.1 Kirehe District Land Use Balance Sheet Kirehe District spreads over an area of almost 1,180.5 km2, including water bodies and protected wetlands. There is a consensus that protected wetlands and natural forests are not to be allocated for other land uses such as residential or agriculture. 4.10.2 Existing Land Use Balance Sheet Kirehe District is among the Districts with land suitable for agriculture, where agriculture and livestock currently dominate over other land uses and cover about 55% of the District. Other main land uses are forest (16.18%), water bodies and wetlands covering 3.54% and 9.91% respectively, Settlements and infrastructures areas including roads cover 11% of which are residential, commercial, public utilities, public facilities and other buildings. Map 47: Existing Conflicting uses: livestock and forests Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 165 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 192 4.10.3 Proposed Land Use Balance Sheet During the elaboration of Kirehe DLUP, the land use balance sheet considered various aspects such as the population projections and its future demand, sectorial demands, physical characteristics of the area, complying with existing policies, proposed strategic, catalytic and development local and development projects at community level, local government and national levels and their impact like climate change. The collected data from different sectoral institutions were clearly analysed and merged into a single layer and associated tables showing the percentage of each land. In Kirehe District, different land uses such as settlement areas, residential areas and others are allocated based on the future needs of the population. The land use balance sheet includes the urban areas of Kirehe District, the Secondary City and Rurban Centers, and the zoning balance for the rural settlement sites. The land use balance is provided both in the form of spatial data (shapefiles) and presented in the form of tables and graphs to support the report. Forestry and agriculture are the primary land uses in Kirehe District. Agriculture (including livestock) accounts for 691.57 km² (57.76%). Forestry, including already protected natural forests for conservation, plantations, wooded savannah, shrublands, slopes above 55 degrees and identified bare lands allocated for afforestation accumulates to 194.15 km² (16.45%). The land allocated to forest shall be increased by additional zones as the plan recommends Akagera wetlands buffer to be forested and serve as a protection zone to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts. In addition, river buffers are recommended to be planted with suitable species of trees to protect river banks as are many parts of the roads reserves outside of settlements areas. As illustrated on the Figure 91 above, the existing land utilisation was characterized by conflicting land uses, particularly in Mpanga, Nasho, Nyarubuye and Mushikiri Sectors. There is a competition of available land for agriculture, forest, livestock, conservation and wetlands. In these Sectors, consultation with local people reported that there has been an agreement with livestock farms’ owners to plant forest on about 30% of the livestock land size, mainly consisting of rocky landscape. The areas of planted forests have been proposed and mapped as forest plantation in the land use map. In addition to this, new land identified as bare lands have been proposed for afforestation and will contribute to increasing the forest cover in Kirehe District. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 166 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 193 The majority of zones mapped as wooded savannas and shrublands, most of which are used for livestock, are proposed to continue to be used for forest and livestock development. As recommended by the NLUDMP 2020-2050, Kirehe DLUP is to increase land reserved for agriculture development by converting the wooded savannas and shrublands which are not part of the protected zones. In addition, as recommended by NLUDMP 2020-2050, unprotected swamplands and their buffers amounting to 118 km² (10%) allows for agriculture under conditional use, increasing the total area allocated for agriculture up to 809.09 km², making 67.9 % of the District land. As a Secondary City District, the DLUP has allocated 62.6 ha of land for an industrial park (General Industry) and another 60.5 ha for light industry. As the table on Land Use allocation indicates, about 330.31 ha today used for livestock has been allocated to mining and quarrying in anticipation of the future container and float glass production, possibly also for solar glass production industry in 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Rwanda. S/ N Kirehe district Land use category Agriculture Livestock Ecotourism and Open spaces Forest Afforestation 1,180.5 Existing 2022 Km2 576.74 73.15 Agriculture & livestock 649.89 - 240.44 - Forest & conservation 240.44 Commercial Industrial (Light: 60.5Ha, General: 62.6Ha), Mining/quarrying: 330.3Ha) Public administration Public facility Residential Transportation Public utility - - - - - - - 13 Swamplands 14 Water body 15 Settlements & infrastructures 131.25 117.01 41.80 - Buffers (Water bodies & Swamplands buffers) Table 40: Land Allocation in Kirehe District 2023-2050 Water & Wetlands & buffers 158.81 100% % 48.86 6.16 55.06 - 20.37 - 20.37 - - 100% % 51.01 5.92 56.93 0.05 1,180.5 Proposed 2050 Km2 602.13 69.88 672.01 0.59 157.33.93 13.33 36.23 194.15 4.86 4.53 3.07 16.45 0.41 0.38 - - - - - 11.12 9.91 3.54 - 13.45 1.14 9.87 81.28 40.40 0.5 140.09 123.19 34.62 14.03 171.84 0.10 0.84 6.89 3.42 0.04 12.08 10.44 2.93 1.19 14.56 Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 167 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 194 TOTAL 100.00 Swamplands, Water bodies and buffers Forest & Conservation 14.56 16.44 171.84 194.06 Agriculture & Livestock 56.93 Urbanization & Settlements 12.08 142.58 1180.49 672.01 Figure 48: Kirehe DLUP Integrative and Allocation Plan 2022-2050 Map 48: District integrative map of the land uses including overlay land uses Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 168 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 195 Chapter Five: Implementation Strategies Kirehe District Land Use Plan (DLUP) 2023 – 2050 will be implemented into two planning horizons (2023-2035 and 3035-2050. The former with other distinct phases: Phase one (2023- 2030) and Phase two (2030-2035). The implementation of Kirehe DLUP involves key partners and stakeholders through an appropriate coordination and participation approach. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 169 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 196 5. IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES 5.1 Legal and Institutional Framework One of the fundamental aspects of achieving the goals as set out in a Kirehe District Land Use Plan for a specific spatial space is the implementation of such a plan by the established implementation Agency. The implementation of the Kirehe DLUP, which is the official document (that contains public policy, programs and projects for Kirehe District, is a major determinant of urban and rural development and the Kirehe District has a major role to play. Stakeholders are the key actors in the implementation of DLUP. The table below shows the targeted stakeholders and the associated roles and responsibilities. No Actors & Intervention sector Stakeholders Kirehe District All interventions 1. sectors 2. MINALOC All interventions sectors 3. MINECOFIN Public Financial Management 4. MININFRA 5. MINEDUC/REG - Transport - Urbanization - Energy - Water and Sanitation - Education 6. MINISANTE - Health Responsibilities - Develop working mechanism that brings all actors on board - Strengthen capacity building of staff, hold workshops and regular meetings with all District partners to share best practices - Facilitate the provision of extension services - Mobilize necessary resources for the implementation of the District priorities. - Initiate, Coordinate, Monitor and Evaluate the Implementation Phases - Ensure that all the guidelines and directives from the central government are fully disseminated to the District - Proper use of the public resources - Supporting stakeholder coordination in their activities at District level - Leads the resource mobilization, allocation process and approve new innovative financing mechanisms - Will assist to link the District strategic outcomes with the NST1 and higher-level plans. - Coordinate the transfer of earmarked funds - Ensure the sustainable development of infrastructure - Overseeing maintenance and development of infrastructure - Developing and managing Education Monitoring and Evaluation systems - Promoting information and technologies in the area of education - Promoting information and communication technology as a tool for learning and teaching - Overseeing the programs of school construction and equipment - Overseeing formal education and continuing training of teaching staff - Financial accessibility of health services Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 170 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 197 7. MINAGRI - Agriculture 8. MINIRENA/ REMA - Environment and Natural resources 9 MINICOM - Private sector development and employment 10 MINISPOC Sports and Culture 11 Land National Authority (NLA) All Sectors 12 LODA 13 RHA - Private Sector Development & Youth Employment - Social protection - Urbanization and rural settlements - Transport -Housing - Public Building 14 RAB - Agriculture 15. NAEB Agriculture 16. Rwanda Cooperative agency (RCA) - Agriculture - Financial Sector Development -Empowerment of Youth, Women - Strengthening national referral hospitals, treatment & research centres - Institutional capacity building - Human Resources Development - Organization, mobilization and capacity-building for producers and their organizations - Promoting the gender approach and reducing vulnerability among disadvantaged groups - Diversification and intensification of plant, animal and fish production - Strengthening climate resilience of communities - Water Resources Management - Monitor and assess development programs to ensure compliance with the laws on environment during their preparation and implementation; - Advice and technical support to individuals or entities engaged in natural resources management and environmental conservation - Monitor and supervise impact assessment - Support private sector growth and job creation with a focus on SMEs - Build an effective human resource base and institutional capacity for delivery. - Ensure that sports and culture policies and strategies are disseminated and appropriately implemented to attain the intended results - Supervise the functioning and management of affiliated institutions and agencies of the ministry for efficiency and effectiveness. - Promote research and development of cultural and sport activities - Overall Monitoring and Evaluation of Kirehe DLUP Implementation Phases - Capacity Building of all implementation Actors at all levels of Governance - Involve public and private investors and developers for Kirehe DLUP Implementation - Local Economic & Community Development - Capacity building of local administrative entities - Monitoring and Evaluating the implementation process of development programs - Monitoring and Inspection of Housing Permitting - Effective Management of Public Buildings (Construction, Repair and Maintenance) - Practice modern methods in crop and animal production, research, agricultural extension, education and training of farmers in new technologies. - Facilitate the growth of business to diversify agriculture and livestock commodity export revenues. - Promoting the cooperative organizations sector - Promoting business entrepreneurship in the cooperative organizations sector - Assisting cooperative organizations in their capacity building through training and seminars of its members and managers Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 171 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 198 and People with Disabilities - Supervising implementation of laws and instructions governing cooperatives 17. BDF / BRD Financial sector Development 18. REG Energy 19. WASAC 20. Development Partners (World Bank, Un-Habitat, AFD, etc.) Water and Sanitation - Urbanization and Rural settlement - Upgrading of Informal Settlement - Resettlement of People living in High Risk Zones - Promoting SME development through the provision of financial services - Accelerate export development, Catalyse agricultural financing; - Promote affordable housing, Manage and facilitate financing for education loans; and - Increase investments in energy development - Responsible for maintaining and improving power plants, transmission and distribution networks, as well as delivery of electrical energy to consumers at a sustainable fee - Community companies support in small micro hydro power plants To increase the water production, distribution, and performance improvement aimed at provision of quality water and sanitation services - Provision of basic infrastructure - Technical assistance to support sustainable urban management and capacities at Secondary Cities District level and facilitation of Local Economic Development - Financing of Projects for improvement of Living Conditions of Kirehe Population Table 41: DLUP Implementation key actors and their responsibilities 5.2 Kirehe DLUP Implementation Framework 5.2.1 Kirehe DLUP Spatial Phasing Plan by Horizon of the Year 2050 Implementation phasing of Kirehe DLUP is part of all local and land use plan provisions and elaborated based on the local context. The leading spatial principle in phasing is Tiling, which prevents random and remote locations of development. The phasing plan for Kirehe District Land Use Plan intends to provide flexibility to the implementing Agents and Stakeholders to prioritize investment projects for local economic development in Kirehe District for efficient and adequate use of implementation resources and funds to finance the selected priority projects. The DLUP Phasing Plan provides the District, communities, and donors/financiers with rationale to prioritize infrastructure and associated urban and rural services to incrementally develop in a phased manner. Phasing plans have been mapped for Kirehe Satellite City and Nasho, Rusumo- Kiyanzi and Gahara-Dagaza Rurbans where three phases have been proposed to implement Kirehe District Land Use Master Plan by 2050. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 172 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 199 Phase One: 2023 – 2030 Phase one considers the areas which already contain existing built up areas where basic infrastructures are distributed. The areas of Kirehe Secondary City, Nasho and Kiyanzi-Rusumo and Gahara-Dagaza Rurban Center are already settled and serviced with all major basic infrastructures (Roads, Water, Electricity, IT, drainage channels, etc.). The District will continue the issuance of building construction permits and rehabilitation permits in order to achieve proposed densities. These areas will be given priority during additional District infrastructure development and relevant stakeholders’ investments. This Phase will also consider the residential expansion zones concerned by settlement upgrading projects in city and towns and rural settlement sites today not having access to basic services and infrastructures, The District will in place and distribute basic infrastructures where they are lacking to achieve the country target of 100% electricity and water pipe distribution and accessibility to all rural settlements. However from Phase One, the DLUP Phasing Plan allows the Implementation Flexibility on phases which provides that the district can allow developments for immediate implementation of any phase by issuing new building construction permits, when the neighbourhood is well serviced with roads and other basic public amenities, or when investors commit to distribute all basic infrastructures (Roads, water, electricity, etc.), without a government or public investments. Phase two: 2030 – 2035 Phase Two includes areas of urban residential zones with high densities (R2 and R3). These areas don’t have basic services and infrastructures today. Issuance of new building construction permits is prohibited in phase two, except big investment cases, where the investors will comfortably distribute all basic infrastructures (Roads, water, electricity, etc.), without a government or public investments. The District will provide construction permits in phase 2, after elaboration of detailed physical plans and distribution of all basic infrastructures (Roads, Water, Electricity, IT, drainage channels, etc.). Phase Three: 2035 – 2050 Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 173 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 200 This Phase corresponds eventually to the revision of land use plans at national and District levels. This phase considers the areas of urban expansion and development and urban peripherals that today are used for agriculture and livestock. These areas will be protected for allowing transitional land uses like agriculture or forestry/agroforestry plantations. These areas currently do not have basic services and infrastructures. Issuance of new building construction permits is prohibited in Phase3, except for large investment projects cases, where the government or investors will commit to distribute all basic infrastructures (roads, water, electricity, etc.). Figure 49: Phasing Implementation of Urban settlements 5.2.2 Kirehe Capital & Catalytic Improvement Projects Rwanda aspires to provide increased incomes, high-quality livelihoods, and modern living standards to all Rwanda’s citizens. Rwanda aspires to be a modern, innovative, equitable, accountable society with comprehensive utilities, clean water, easy mobility, and equal access to Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 174 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 201 quality healthcare, education, and job opportunities for all its citizens. The implementation of the Kirehe DLUP Cluster will be aligned with the Government's ambitious integration of District local population needs. The Table 46 lists key identified capital and catalytic projects from different economic sectors (PSF, RTDA, WASAC, REG, RDB, Etc) on agenda, expected to boost the District development during implementation of Kirehe DLUP. Some of the projects are described below. ● Export Targeted Modern Irrigated Agricultural Project (ETI) Export Targeted Modern Irrigation (ETI) is developing an irrigation system in Kirehe District (Mpanga, Mahama 1 and Mahama 2 irrigation schemes) and Mechanization Center of Excellence. The project is a contribution to the district’s agricultural productivity, especially as the district has been prone to drought. ETI will see a number of irrigation infrastructures constructed, a biomass power plant, value addition facilities for particular crops, greenhouses for vegetables, tomatoes, and fruit plants, and watershed management works. The net area to be irrigated under the project is 5,000 hectares, but the entire scheme will cover a total of 7,000 hectares. This area includes the surface occupied by infrastructures such as roads and buildings under the project. The water for irrigation will be pumped from Akagera River. Figure 50: Water Irrigation ● TREPA Project “Transforming Eastern Province through Adaptation” by 2027 The TREPA project is a co-financed project by the Government of Rwanda and other Project Executing Entities. The implementation of the six-year investment will be jointly executed by IUCN in collaboration with the Government of Rwanda through Rwanda Forestry Authority (RFA) and Enabel, the Belgian development agency, as Executing Entities. The project intends to restore over Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 175 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 202 60,000 ha of drought-degraded landscapes into climate resilient ecosystems through reforestation, agroforestry, restoration of pasturelands, and erosion control measures in 7 districts of the Eastern Province of Rwanda, namely Kirehe, Kayonza, Gatsibo, Ngoma as well as Bugesera districts. The project will promote improved clean and efficient cooking energy technologies to more than 100,000 households in the Eastern Province of Rwanda. It will also develop climate resilient markets and supply chains to incentivize public and private investments in forests, increase the capacity of communities to renew and sustainably manage forests and agroforestry resources, and support smallholder farmers to adopt climate-resilient agriculture. The implementation of the six-year investment will be jointly executed by IUCN in collaboration with Government of Rwanda through Rwanda Forestry Authority (RFA), Enabel, the Belgian development agency, as Executing Entities with other partners including ICRAF, World Vision, and the Inter churches Organization for Development Cooperation (ICCO) will also be involved in this project implementation. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 176 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 203 Thematic areas PUBLIC INFRASTRU CTURES AND FACILITIES PUBLIC UTILITIES ECONOMIC DEVELOP- MENT Projects Construction of Kavuzo- Nyarubuye-Birembo chip seal Construction of urban roads chip seal in Kigina, Kirehe sectors Construction of Rwanteru- Kigarama-Musaza chipseal Construction of Nyamugali- Mahama-Mpanga -Nasho chip seal road Construction of Cyunuzi- Rwagitugusa chip seal road Construction of Nyamugali- Bukora-Munini chip seal road Construction of Nyarubuye Health Center Construction of Bukora TVET in Nyamugali sector Construction of Kirehe District Head Office Upgrading Kiyanzi dry port Construction of car parkings in Rusumo, Nasho, rurban centers and Gatore center Construction of Airstrip in Kigarama, Nyankurazo Construction of Kirehe stadium Construction of Bukora Youth Talent promotion center/Gymnasium Construction of Bukora Health center Construction of Kirehe Youth promotion Centre/Gymnasium Construction of scientific laboratory rooms at paysannat Construction of Nasho Youth center Provide electricity connection in rural settlement sites Connect rural settlement sites with water pipes Construction of Kirehe City Landfill Construction of Kabeza modern market Construction of Nyakarambi modern market Export targeted modern irrigated agricultural and energy production project (ETI) Phase 1 (2023-2030) Phase 2 (2030-2035) Phase 3 (2035-2050) Responsible Institution District, RTDA, MININFRA District, RTDA, MININFRA District, RTDA, MININFRA District, RTDA, MININFRA District, RTDA, MININFRA District, RTDA, MININFRA District, MINISANTE District, MINEDUC, REB District District, MINICOM, MININFRA District, MININFRA, RTDA District, RCAA, MININFRA District District District, MINISANTE District District, MINEDUC, REB District REG, EUDCL WASAC, PSF District, PSF District, PSF District, Private Sector District, PSF Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 177 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 204 Transforming Eastern province through adaptation of TREPA District, RFA, Partners Table 42: Catalytic Projects from the district and stakeholders 5.2.3 Participatory Land Readjustment Approach and Detailed Physical Plans Readjustment of existing plots and Detailed Physical Plans are recommended during implementation of the Kirehe DLUP to assure rational development and effective land use. Where the plots are of different quality or value, area or value adjustments are to be made. The readjustment of land transforms irregularly shaped plots into regular and standard shaped plots with access to infrastructure such as roads, electricity, and water, and services such as schools, and hospitals, which contributes to the value of the land in any specific area. Statutory phasing in each land-use plan will be compulsory. The communities who are the landowners are encouraged to participate in all phases of development including elaboration of site physical plans, data collection and all mapping and site demarcations exercises until the assignment is completed and approved, being provided by in-depth advice of planners and appraisal experts. A land readjustment map and appraisal documents must be approved together with the concerned detailed local plan as one unit. Alternatively, simplified voluntary land exchange processes shall be introduced. Any conflicts and disputes that may occur in the process should be resolved between the landowners, the site committee established, local Village Chiefs and Cell Leaders. A practical guide for participatory land readjustment was established by the National Land Authority for local physical plan development procedures and implementation, roles and responsibilities for local communities, the site committee, local authorities and the consultants or experts developing the neighbourhood or planning site. Therefore, the community approach is part of Kirehe DLUP for its successful implementation. 5.2.4 Other Recommendations for Implementation of DLUP 1. Kirehe District is encouraged to avail budget for detailed physical plan elaboration and these should be approved by the District council for guiding all land development in Kirehe District, and be implemented through the Land Readjustment strategy. 2. Implementation strategy of the proposed land use zones should be done in different phases to avoid urban sprawl. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 178 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 205 3. All land administration services, the transactions must be based on proposed zoning. 4. Construction permits will be aligned with phasing plans. 5. Land taxation databases should be based on detailed physical plans for areas where infrastructures have been developed. 6. Mobilization of urban population for changing land titles based on proposed zonings. 7. Working with FONERWA, REMA, RDB, PSF, for the development of proposed eco- tourism sites. 8. Working with MINAGRI, RAB, and PSF for developing agriculture, including wetlands. 9. Proposed zonings for agriculture and forest must be fully protected. 10. Public infrastructures including; electricity, water, health facility, education facility will be distributed only in urban, rurban areas and selected rural settlement sites. 11. Kirehe District should work hand in hand with private Sectors to invest in District infrastructures 12. Kirehe District is urged to establish land committees at Cell level for Master plan implementation and mobilization 13. Working with RFA, REMA to increase forest cover in Kirehe district 14. RHA is recommended to provide housing typology and models to be implemented in rural settlement sites and in rurban sites Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 179 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 206 6. COMPLIANCE AND MONITORING The proposed compliance between the different planning levels is a must in order to avoid any mistakes made in the many plans, policies and projects before caused by lack of compliance. The purpose of this part is to set up administrative and planning tools, in which planning instructions transfer from level to level. A Continuous Compliant Planning principle was adopted to ensure the fulfillment of the chain of planning. Under this principle of CCP, the following measures and procedures are essential in order to achieve the desired compliance in planning process; ● Providing a non-objection to any land use plan and project by the Authority in charge of Land Use Management through the strong back up coordination force from MINECOFIN will be instrumental in resolving coordination and compliance issues. ● DLUP dominance: Ensuring that the investments and development projects and activities comply with this plan. The national development planning and budgeting process (MINECOFIN) should ensure that sector priorities and investments comply with the NLUDMP and DLUP. In other words there must be a balance between economic planning and spatial planning. ● The DLUP implementation phases for midterm (2035): The areas of the development phases will be adjacent to each other to create a paving system for the efficient use of lands. The long-term phases for 2035-2050 will be protected for the next 15 years. ● Consolidation principles in land use planning will be directed towards and applied to all levels and all sectors of land-use planning. ● Regular updating of spatial data and base maps through large-scale mapping will greatly support the development of master plans and monitoring of land use. ● To improve the adequate performance of Building Permitting Management Information system (BPMIS) and its dissemination in all districts to serve the urban and rural construction and development permitting countrywide. ● A strong community outreach program and mindset change on land use planning in Rwanda will be organized continuously in Kirehe District in order for community public awareness and ownership. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 180 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 207 7. ZONING PLAN AND REGULATIONS 5.1 Objective of the Zoning Plan and Regulations The objective of the Zoning Regulations is to provide a clear mechanism for the implementation of the District land use plans and to direct public and private sector development to follow a clear set of development objectives, definitions, regulations, and guidelines that reflect the vision and concept proposed in the Master Plans. The objectives, definitions and regulations ensure that development is carried out to achieve a logical, attractive, and livable development pattern in the Cities, safeguard privacy and amenities, and provide opportunities for growth, with enough flexibility to respond to changing business needs and development trends. The regulations place an emphasis on encouraging mixed-use mixed-income development for integrated, well connected, inclusive, and equitable development that are sustainable and are designed to achieve a quality living environment. 5.2 Purpose of the Zoning Regulations The purpose of the Zoning Regulations is to explain the proposed Zoning Plan and Development Control. Regulations which will encourage and guide Public Institutions, Private Sector, National and International Organizations and Citizens in the implementation of the Kirehe District Land Use Plan Cluster and in the harmonic and balanced development of the District. 5.3 Zoning Map & Interpretation The Zoning Regulations presents the various zones proposed for the District and maps out the boundaries of these zones within the entire District area. 5.4 Zoning Plan Zoning regulates the types of uses, the development intensity, the required density, the setting, and height of buildings on any plot. As such, it serves as an effective planning tool to guide development in a logical and orderly fashion. The Zoning Plan is meant to provide landowners, developers, and stakeholders with a clear picture of what can and cannot be developed on any parcel of land. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 181 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 208 The Zoning Plan is made up of a Zoning Map and a set of Zoning Regulations. The Zoning Map identifies specific zones within the planning area based on the predominant land use, and the desired intensity, building height and density for that area. The Zoning Regulations stipulate the permitted, conditional, and prohibited uses, location of a building on any plot, the overall maximum intensity, as well as the building height. Specific regulations related to overall building form, landscaping, development strategy and signage are also stipulated in the Zoning Regulations. Zoning Regulations stipulate allowable development for a zone, but flexibility in development is ensured by allowing incentives such as additional GFA, promoting inclusionary zoning, incremental / phased development. The Zoning Regulations tabulate the uses into three categories: Permitted, Conditional and Prohibited uses. ● Permitted Use: Uses that comply with the intended use for the zoning code and can be permitted outright. However, the development shall comply, when relevant, with other context specific additional regulatory restrictions such as Urban Design Guidelines, Overlays, Heritage, and Conservation guidelines. ● Conditional Use: Conditional uses are usually activities that may create significant traffic, noise, or other impacts on the surrounding neighbourhood. Such identified uses can be permitted “conditionally” within a zone following the assessment of Districts’ One Stop Centre’s approval. OSC may require the development to conform to a set of conditions and standards as per the regulations which must be met always. Each zone can allow different but compatible developments that are complementary in terms of use and scale. For example, a small-scale commercial development could be allowed in residential areas to provide convenience for residents to meet their daily shopping needs. Similarly, Civic facilities like schools, day care centres, religious facilities could be allowed in a residential zone, provided the facility meets the parking, noise standards etc. Such conditional uses could be permitted after careful consideration and evaluation by the One Stop Centre and may be subject to certain conditions as deemed necessary by the review committee, to ensure that the overall planning intention for any specific is not compromised. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 182 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 209 ● Prohibited Use: These are uses that are deemed prohibited and include activities that have been found to be incompatible with the zone. For example, Heavy Industrial Uses are prohibited within the residential zones. Overlay Zones: Within these Zoning Regulations, overlay zones provide more discretion and flexibility by allowing the District to protect certain areas as well as encourage or discourage certain types of development. Overlay Zones are mapped zones superimposed over the established zoning and can be used to impose supplement restrictions, permit, or disallow various forms of density as well as provide bonuses and incentives to achieve the desired planning intent for that area. The parcels within the overlay zone will be thus subject to the regulations of the underlying zoning as well as the overlay zoning requirements. An overlay zone can cover more than one zone and even portions of several underlying zoning. The Steep Slope Overlay Zone, Urban Design Overlay, Heritage and Tourism Overlay, Irrigation Schemes Overlay are examples of Overlay Zones. 5.5 DLUP Zoning Map The Zoning Map indicates the specific boundaries of the various zones proposed for the DLUP Cluster of Kirehe District. These boundaries are defined and demarcated based on the following principles: ● To ensure higher degree of densification, and mix of uses in the City, rurban, rural settlements. ● To ensure a Transport-Oriented Development. ● To ensure harmonization and that there are no conflicting uses for land uses neighbouring zones. ● To ensure environmental and natural resources protection 5.6 Principles Guiding the Zoning Requirements in cities / urban areas ● Integrated Development and Urban Resilience The integrated approach to urban development promotes appropriate growth of Cities, ensures sustainable mobility, more cohesive communities, and a better environment. By looking at the City in a holistic fashion, it strengthens the urban resilience, known as “the capacity of urban systems, Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 183 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 210 communities, individuals, organizations, and businesses to recover, maintain their function and thrive in the aftermath of a shock or a stress, regardless of its impact, frequency or magnitude”. These Zoning Regulations enhance this approach and help to build the resilience, providing adequate tools and measures to guide the growth of the City as an urban system, where all components - infrastructural, institutional, economic, and social are taken into consideration. ● Inclusivity and Community Involvement in the Planning Inclusivity and equity in the planning and development process help create more sustainable cities with people getting the right to fully participate in every aspect of social, economic, political, and cultural life and voice their concerns and aspirations to create thriving neighborhoods and communities. All developments shall consider the needs and aspirations of all groups, including vulnerable groups and people of all abilities, in the design and implementation process. A participatory and bottom- up approach shall be followed involving and engaging the community in the design, development, and monitoring process. ● Incrementality and Flexibility The principle of incrementality is adopted in these Zoning Regulations to allow communities, investors, and developers to develop according to their current financial capacities. The objective is to create a flexible environment where all developments happen in an organic manner, without creating financial overexposure and hence hindering the affordability of the development. At the same time, the incremental approach is designed in such a way that future addition to the development would help achieve the desired density for the specific zone in future years. Incremental development also allows developers to better adapt to current and future market conditions, thus reducing investment risk and facilitating access to the market to a larger segment of the population. Incremental development shall be an opportunity to limit ongoing informal development processes and ensure efficient provision of infrastructure and service delivery and rational land use. ● Mixed Land Use Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 184 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 211 The zoning regulations allow and encourage Integrated and mixed-use development within all zones to create higher density, compact and vibrant places for people from all groups and neighborhoods. Neighborhoods shall showcase a blend of residential, commercial, cultural, public facilities, and micro-enterprises that are accessible and well connected to the transit system. This will enhance inclusivity, bring work closer to homes and reduce disparity and social segregation between different groups. ● Pedestrian First “Cities around the world are recognizing how essential walkability is for the access and health of their citizens, and the economic growth of their cities. All planners, designers and developers shall ensure walkable and integrated neighborhoods that link residences to the public facilities, commercial and recreational areas. The DLUP provides for the City to expand its Non-Motorized Transport (NMT) network to cover the entire City for complete, continuous, and safe walkway and cycle way networks that provide clear protection from motor vehicles and are accessible to people of all groups. Universal designs shall be adopted by removing all physical barriers and providing a safe route for smooth mobility and easy access. ● Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Transit-oriented development (TOD) presents as the best approach for Cities of Rwanda to continue keeping the private vehicle ownership on the low, and to avoid unsustainable, car-dependent, and sprawling settlement. TOD is necessary for inclusivity, equity, and long-term sustainability of the cities. The integrated and transit-oriented development brings people closer to activities, work, home, and public space, providing inclusive access for all, to Citywide opportunities and resources at the lowest financial and environmental cost, and with the highest resilience to climate change and other disasters. The Kirehe Secondary City shall provide high-quality, safe, and reliable mass transit system for a sustainable, and equitable development. Mixed-use, integrated, and higher density developments that are well connected with easy walking and cycling connection, and in proximity to reliable transit service to the rest of the City are at the base of this master planning effort. ● Sustainable Design Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 185 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 212 All developments shall be designed and developed with due regards for the environment, by incorporating environmentally friendly and sustainable design practices in both design and construction of the buildings. It shall be of paramount importance to encourage environmentally responsible buildings that are appropriate for the existing urban fabric. Subject to review and evaluation of developments in certain zones, and in line with GBMC, the District One Stop Center may, at its discretion, grant increases in additional floor area, building height or building coverage for developments that adopt sustainable design technologies or techniques or provide additional benefit to the neighboring communities such as public spaces or recreational areas. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 186 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 213 8. KIREHE DLUP MONITORING AND EVALUATION Proper monitoring and implementation of Kirehe DLUP will be continuously conducted. However, the revision may also be done on the specific sector when considered necessary without compromising the development with other sectors. The proposed compliance between the different planning levels is a must in order to avoid any mistakes made in the many plans, policies and projects before caused by lack of compliance. The purpose of this part is to set up administrative and planning tools, in which planning instructions transfer from central level to local level. A Continuous Compliance Planning (CCP) principle was adopted to ensure the fulfillment of the chain of planning. Under this principle of CCP, the following measures and procedures are essential in order to achieve the desired compliance in planning and implementation process; ● Providing a non-objection to any land use plan and project by National Land Authority (NLA) in charge of Land Use Management through the back up coordination force from MINECOFIN will be instrumental in resolving coordination and compliance issues. ● Consolidation principles will be directed towards and applied to all levels and all sectors of land-use planning. ● To improve the adequate performance of Building Permitting Management Information system (BPMIS) to serve the urban and rurban construction and development permitting. ● A strong community outreach program and mind-set change on land use planning in Rwanda will be organized continuously in Kirehe District in order for community public awareness and ownership of the DLUP. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 187 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 214 References 1. UN, The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are (SDGs), 2015 2. Republic of Rwanda, Rwanda's Vision 2050 (2020, MINECOFIN) 3. Republic of Rwanda, National Strategy for Transformation (NST1): 2017-2024, MINECOFIN 4. Republic of Rwanda, National Housing Policy (2015), MININFRA 5. Republic of Rwanda, National Land Policy, 2019, MoE 6. Republic of Rwanda, National Urbanization Policy, 2015, MININFRA 7. Republic of Rwanda, National Investment Policy, RDB 8. Republic of Rwanda, National Human Settlement Policy, MININFRA 9. Republic of Rwanda, National Land Use Development Master Plan (NLUDMP) 2020-2050 (2020, MoE) 10. Republic of Rwanda, Green Growth and Climate Resilient Strategy, 2011, REMA 11. Republic of Rwanda, Rwanda National Land Use Planning Guidelines (NLUPG) (2017, Rwanda Land Management and Use Authority) 12. Republic of Rwanda, Rwanda Urban Planning Code (UPC) (2015), RHA 13. Republic of Rwanda, Urbanization and Rural Settlements Sector Strategic Plan 2018-2024 (2018, MININFRA) 14. Republic of Rwanda, Environmental Impact Assessment Guidelines, REMA 2007 15. Republic of Rwanda, Organic law N° 08/2005 of 14/07/2005 Determining the use and management of Land in Rwanda. 16. Republic of Rwanda, 2018. Law N°48/2018 of 13/08/2018 on Environment, 2018. 17. Republic of Rwanda, General Census and National Population Projection, 2012 National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR). 18. Republic of Rwanda, Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey, EICV 5, Thematic Report, Environmental and natural resources, March, 2020, NISR 19. Republic of Rwanda, Rwanda Building Code, 2015, RHA. 20. Republic of Rwanda, the National Environmental Policy of the Republic of Rwanda, MoE. 21. Republic of Rwanda, The Law N° 27/2021 du 10/06/2021 governing land in Rwanda, 2021, MoE. 22. Republic of Rwanda, The Law N°10/2012 of 02/05/2012 governing urban planning and building in Rwanda, 2012, MININFRA. Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 188 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 215 23. Republic of Rwanda, The Law N°20/2011 of 21/06/2011 governing human habitation, 2011, MININFRA 24. Kirehe District Development Plan (DDS), 2018-2024 25. Kirehe District Potentialities Report, 2017 26. Kirehe District, Master Plan for Urban Development, 2020 27. Kirehe District, Local Economic Development (LED) Strategy 2017-2024 28. RDB: Tourism and Hospitality report, 2021 Kirehe District Land Use Plan 2023-2050 189 Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 216 Bibonywe kugira ngo bishyirwe ku mugereka w’Iteka rya Minisitiri no 007/25/10/TC ryo ku wa 28/07/2025 rishyiraho mbonera igishushanyo n’imitunganyirize cy’imikoreshereze by’ubutaka cy’Akarere ka Kirehe Seen to be annexed to Ministerial Order no 007/25/10/TC of 28/07/2025establishing land use and development master plan of Kirehe District Vu pour être annexé à l’Arrêté Ministériel no 007/25/10/TC du 28/07/2025 établissant le schéma et d’aménagement des terres du District de Kirehe d’utilisation directeur Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 217 Kigali, 28/07/2025 (sé) MURANGWA Yusuf Minisitiri w’Imari n’Igenamigambi Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Ministre des Finances et de la Planification Économique Bibonywe kandi bishyizweho Ikirango cya Repubulika: Seen and sealed with the Seal of the Republic: Vu et scellé du Sceau de la République : (sé) Dr UGIRASHEBUJA Emmanuel Minisitiri w’Ubutabera akaba n’Intumwa Nkuru ya Leta Minister of Justice and Attorney General Ministre de la Justice et Garde des Sceaux Official Gazette n° Special Bis of 31/07/2025 218