Senators yesterday agreed that amendments be made to the country’s expropriation law, essentially supporting the idea to make the law more protective of the rights of property owners in case of expropriation in public interest.

Among the popular changes the Bill brings is putting time limits within which the expropriation process will be happening.

Article 37 of the Bill states the time limits for payment to the person to be expropriated and failure to meet the limits could lead to cancellation of the expropriation project.

"Compensation shall be paid within a period not exceeding 120 days from the day of its approval by the Council of the District, that of City of Kigali or concerned ministry,” reads Article 37 of the Bill.

Lawmakers in both the Lower House and the Senate have welcomed the proposed time limit on the expropriation period, saying it will help end the delays in compensating the expropriatees.

"The Bill answers a lot of questions in the expropriation field,” Senator Gallican Niyongana, said yesterday.

The Bill says that fair compensation to property owners in case of expropriation can be monetary in the Rwandan currency or any other terms mutually agreed by the expropriator and expropriatee.

The Bill indicates that those who will be expropriated will be compensated before they can vacate their land.

"In order for the expropriation to be implemented, a fair compensation shall be paid to the expropriated person before they relocate,” states Article 36 of the Bill.

The Bill proposes that the valuation of land and activities developed on land shall be conducted by certified real property valuers in Rwanda.

It also states that land prices shall be reviewed annually and approved by the Regulatory Council of Real Property Valuers.

It also provides for compensation for disturbance due to relocation, which shall be equivalent to five per cent of the total value of the property in question.

Lawmakers in the Lower Chamber of Parliament had already passed the Bill seeking repeal of the expropriation law.

MP Connie Bwiza described the repeal as important in addressing challenges facing the expropriation process.

"Several concerns have been addressed in the newly-proposed expropriation law,” she said.