Gasabo Land Use Master Plan: Residents want the modification on “Cemetery” Zone

KIGALI, Rwanda — Residents of Agatare Village, located in the Kinyinya Sector of Gasabo District, are demanding clarity over the future of their land. Hundreds of landowners claim that their plots have been designated as a “special zone reserved for cemeteries” under the Kigali City Master Plan—a move they find difficult to believe.

The affected citizens are questioning the logic of placing a public cemetery in Gasharu Cell, an area that is rapidly developing and near the city center. Experts in urban settlement agree, noting that current master plan principles typically do not place public cemeteries within fast-growing residential or commercial hubs.

“Why won’t they give us permission to build houses that comply with the Master Plan?” asks Nsengiyumva Jean de Dieu, who owns one hectare in the area. “When you go to the district office, they tell you that you cannot build any infrastructure because it is a special zone for cemeteries.”

The “Cemetery” tag has left landowners in a state of financial paralysis. Because the Unified Parcel Identification (UPI)—the unique number used to identify land parcels in Rwanda—labels the area as a prohibited building zone in the online system, the land has become impossible to sell or use as collateral.

For Nsengiyumva, the situation has stalled his future. “I finished university in 2014. I wanted to sell a portion of my land to raise capital to start a business, but no one will buy it. As soon as potential buyers enter the UPI into the system, they see that building is prohibited.”

A Long-Standing Plea

This is not a new struggle. Residents claim they have been seeking a resolution for years, even bringing their case to national media in the past.

“This problem has existed for a long time,” one resident told Topafricanews.com on condition of anonymity. “We have explained our problem to the authorities and even to Rwanda Television, but we continue to suffer the consequences. Our socio-economic living conditions are declining because our land—our primary asset—is frozen.”

The residents are now calling for the City of Kigali to provide a definitive answer. “The city needs to come out and tell us what is really going on in this area,” Nsengiyumva urged.

“Consider our request once the Master Plan is modified”

Sibomana Emmanuel, a local resident, explained that the village is currently split into two zones: one for construction and a “Special Zone” where the land’s future remains uncertain.

“We don’t know what will happen to this land, yet we pay property taxes every year,” Sibomana said. “In the last five years alone, I have paid over three million Rwandan francs in taxes.” He added that the community hopes the upcoming Master Plan modifications will officially rezone the area for residential use.

Official Denials of Cemetery Plans

Despite local rumors, Gasabo District officials insist the land is not designated for a public cemetery. Speaking to BTN TV on July 9, 2018, Raymond Mberabahizi, the Vice Mayor of Gasabo in charge of Socio-Economic Development, dismissed the concerns.

“It is not possible to have a public cemetery in Kinyinya,” Mberabahizi stated. He explained that while some old records noted a cemetery in the area during land registration, the Master Plan does not categorize it as such. “Inhabitants should not panic; Kinyinya is not a cemetery zone.”

However, Mberabahizi acknowledged a discrepancy: many residents hold land certificates issued before the current Master Plan that label the plots as residential. He clarified that while the zone is restricted, residents should still be allowed to rehabilitate their homes when necessary.

A Community in Limbo

A visit to the area by Topafricanews.com revealed a community in decline. While children play among the houses, many structures are in critical condition or have collapsed because owners cannot obtain rehabilitation permits.

Residents remain skeptical of the Vice Mayor’s reassurances. “This isn’t the first time we’ve heard these explanations,” one resident told Topafricanews.com. “Mberabahizi was the Executive Secretary of the Kinyinya Sector; he has known about our worries for a long time. His answers are not satisfactory.”

A planned meeting between the District and residents to discuss the “cemetery” designation was scheduled for last month but failed to take place, leaving the community in continued uncertainty.