The Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) has said the long-delayed Mahama I irrigation project in Kirehe District is expected to become operational by October after progress on electricity infrastructure helped address key implementation bottlenecks.
The update was provided on Tuesday, June 30, as RAB and the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) appeared before Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to respond to findings in the 2024/25 Auditor General's report.
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The hearing followed the Auditor General's findings highlighting prolonged delays affecting two major irrigation contracts in Mahama Sector worth more than $60 million.
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According to the report, the first contract, valued at $27.7 million, covers irrigation for 1,752 hectares. Originally scheduled for completion by May 11, 2023, the project had reached only 77 per cent completion by January 2026, representing a 34-month delay.
The second contract, worth $32.9 million, is designed to irrigate 2,669 hectares. It was due for completion by June 24, 2023, but had reached 74 per cent completion by January 2026, a delay of 33 months.
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The Auditor General attributed the delays to slow contract extension approvals, delays in donor funding, and changes to project designs.
During the hearing, lawmakers questioned whether the projects were delivering value for money, citing repeated extensions to implementation timelines.
MP Eugene Musolini singled out irrigation and related infrastructure projects whose completion dates had slipped significantly beyond the original schedules.
Among the concerns raised was the delayed completion of electricity infrastructure needed to power irrigation schemes in Mahama and Kagitumba.
Responding to lawmakers, RAB Acting Director General Florence Uwamahoro said several bottlenecks had now been addressed.
"The delays were partly caused by approval processes required under the agreements, with some approvals handled through EXIM Bank of India and others processed in Rwanda. We have been engaging the bank, the Embassy of India in Rwanda and the Ministry of Finance to accelerate implementation," she said.
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Uwamahoro said the project, initially expected to be completed in June, is now on track for completion in October.
"We also worked with the contractor to identify ways of speeding up implementation. Some equipment imported from India was delayed by transport disruptions linked to conflicts in the Middle East. Despite this, progress has continued and the project has now reached 84 per cent completion," she said.
"The Mahama I project is nearing completion and we expect it to be completed by October."
She added that the Nyamugari power project is key to bringing both Mahama irrigation schemes into operation.
"The power project is being implemented to ensure a reliable electricity supply to the irrigation sites. By August, the power-related works are expected to be completed, allowing Mahama I and Mahama II to become operational by October," Uwamahoro told lawmakers.
