Emma Claudine Ntirenganya, Director General in charge of Communication and Education at the City of Kigali, made the disclosure during an interview on the Ignite Show.

She explained that the relocation was prompted by warnings from Meteo Rwanda, which indicated that rainfall is likely to increase, posing further risk to lives and property.

Over the weekend, Kigali was hit by continuous rain for nearly two days, resulting in significant damage and the loss of two lives. This situation pushed city authorities to take urgent action to move residents away from dangerous areas.

“In Nyarugenge District, 385 people have been relocated, most of them from Kigali Sector, with a few others from Gitega, Nyamirambo, and Mageragere,” Ntirenganya said. “In Gasabo District, we had the largest number to relocate — residents from 10 different sectors — totaling 505 households. So far, 312 people have already moved, and the relocation continues today. In Kicukiro, 35 people were supposed to be relocated.”

She added that the targeted residents include families living in severely risky conditions — such as homes already damaged by rain, houses located below water-absorbing slopes, people living near cracked buildings, and those whose compounds are structurally unsafe and could collapse with further rainfall.

According to the Ministry in charge of Emergency Management (MINEMA), 191 people died due to disasters across the country in 2024.

The City of Kigali has begun relocating residents from high-risk zones