Phase One of the Muvumba Multipurpose Dam Project has reached 61.5 per cent completion, with the Rwanda Water Resources Board (RWB) implementing a catch-up plan to recover delays and complete the works next year.
The first phase covers construction of the dam, installation of a hydropower plant, and preparatory studies for future water supply and irrigation infrastructure.
Officials provided the update on Tuesday, June 30, while appearing before Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to respond to issues raised in the Auditor General's report, including delays in project implementation.
ALSO READ: Muvumba multipurpose dam gets Rwf80bn more funding
Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines
RWB Director General Emmanuel Rukundo acknowledged that the project is behind schedule but said measures are underway to accelerate implementation.
"We should be standing at 68 per cent execution by now, but we are implementing a catch-up plan to close the gap during this year by increasing working hours, the number of workers and equipment on site," Rukundo told lawmakers.
He added that the project has also made progress in improving the utilisation of funds after earlier setbacks.
According to Rukundo, the project's loan initially exceeded the value of the construction contract, leaving about €32 million uncommitted and resulting in a low disbursement rate.
ALSO READ: Major multipurpose dams set to ease water shortages by 2030
RWB later engaged the African Development Bank (AfDB) to reallocate the unused funds to other project components, including expropriation and irrigation.
"The discussions took longer than expected because they required the bank's board approval. During that period, we carried out preparatory activities such as property valuation for expropriation, but the delayed approval affected the project's disbursement rate," he said.
The disbursement rate has since improved from 12.3 per cent in 2021 to 31.38 per cent, he added.
ALSO READ: Govt targets October to clear Rwf4bn Muvumba compensation backlog
Rukundo also told MPs that the project's mid-term review was approved on May 19, allowing the reallocation of funds to priority activities.
The Auditor General's report also highlighted tax payment irregularities amounting to Rwf7.6 billion.
Responding to the findings, Rukundo said the issue had been resolved.
"Minecofin cleared the tax arrears in the 2025/2026 financial year and has committed a further Rwf7.4 billion in the 2026/2027 budget to enable us to complete the dam project," he said.
Design changes delayed implementation
Rukundo attributed the delays to major design revisions, lengthy procurement procedures and financing processes.
He said the dam's height was increased from 30 metres to 39 metres, while the planned irrigation coverage was expanded from 6,000 hectares to 10,000 hectares, necessitating additional studies and design adjustments.
He also noted that procurement took longer than expected because each stage required approval from the project's financier.
"We later reduced the implementation period from 57 months to 42 months to minimise further delays. Together with the contractor and the financier, we agreed on a revised implementation programme that would allow us to make the best use of the remaining time," he said.
Richard Nyirishema, Executive Chairperson of RWB, told MPs that the project was intentionally designed to be implemented in phases.
He said the current phase focuses on constructing the dam and hydropower facilities, while the irrigation and water supply components are being financed separately.
According to Nyirishema, funding has already been secured for about one-third of the planned 10,000 hectares of irrigation, with implementation expected to begin before the end of the year.
He added that feasibility studies for the water supply component have been completed, while WASAC and NAEB are mobilising financing for implementation.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Expropriation hurdles
During the hearing, MP Barthélémy Karinijabo questioned compensation payments made to some property owners whose records lacked signatures.
Rukundo said the project had encountered significant challenges because many affected residents did not have land titles.
"About 90 per cent of the people to be expropriated had no land titles. We worked with the districts to ensure they obtained land titles before compensation could be processed," he said.
On June 25, the Chamber of Deputies approved two draft laws ratifying additional financing agreements between Rwanda and the African Development Bank for the Integrated Muvumba Water Resources Development Programme.
The agreements, signed in Kigali on May 12, 2026, provide an additional loan of 15.15 million Units of Account (UA) and €27.74 million to support the project.
