Rwanda needs Rwf48.8 billion to construct and rehabilitate 309 drainage structures along roads across the country as part of efforts to manage stormwater and reduce disaster risks, the Rwanda Transport Development Agency (RTDA) has revealed.
The funds are needed to improve drainage systems that channel rainwater away from roads, which can cause flooding, erosion and landslides when poorly managed.
The disclosure was made during a Senate plenary session on July 29, 2026, where the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Unity and Security presented findings from an assessment of disaster prevention measures conducted in June 2026.
The committee’s report highlighted that disasters linked to heavy rains continue to cause significant losses despite existing interventions. In 2025, disasters claimed 130 lives and destroyed more than 1,800 houses, while floods, lightning strikes and landslides killed 28 people between January and March 2026.
The report further showed that from 2022 to 2026, disasters resulted in 899 deaths, injured about 1,800 people and destroyed crops covering more than 7,000 hectares.
Senator Murangwa Ndangiza Khadija, chairperson of the committee, said the assessment identified gaps in coordination among institutions involved in disaster prevention, particularly during infrastructure development.
She said some road projects were implemented without adequate consultation with environmental authorities to assess potential disaster risks.
“Sometimes road builders do not coordinate with REMA to assess possible disaster impacts. After one or two years, landslides occur, or heavy rainwater destroys areas where roads have been built,” she said.
She cited the Huye-Rusizi road, where 27 landslides were recorded as a result of rainwater-related damage.
The senator also pointed to mining activities as another contributor to disaster risks, noting that abandoned excavation sites can increase the likelihood of landslides and flooding in surrounding communities.
Following discussions, senators approved the report and adopted recommendations urging stronger coordination among government institutions and better integration of disaster risk assessments into development projects.
Rwanda has constructed about 4,000 kilometres of paved roads nationwide and is also implementing programmes to rehabilitate and maintain more than 18,000 kilometres of unpaved roads.
The government’s five-year development plan presented to Parliament in 2025 includes construction and rehabilitation of more than 300 kilometres of national roads and upgrading over 500 kilometres of feeder roads to improve connectivity for farmers and businesses.
RTDA previously said it required more than Rwf120 billion for road maintenance and rehabilitation in the fiscal year that ended in June 2025, but received less than the requested funding.
