Rwanda Environment Management Authority ( REMA) in collaboration with Musanze District are set to establish the Mukungwa Urban Eco-tourism Park which is part of a newly approved land use and development master plan, according to Marie Grace Nishimwe, Director General of the National Land Authority.
The government last week approved land use and development master plans for eight districts, including Musanze, which has allocated space for eco-tourism.
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Mukungwa is a tributary of the Nyabarongo River that flows into Lake Victoria, the Nile River, and the Mediterranean Sea.
The government has invited consultants to prequalify for a feasibility study to convert Mukungwa wetland into an urban wetland recreation and eco-tourism park. The study will include baseline assessments, developing alternative concepts, preliminary designs for infrastructure, and investment plans.
"Musanze's land use master plan will rejuvenate Mukungwa Leisure Park, offering visitors a delightful experience. This includes a grand stadium for events and a remarkable building for large gatherings,” Nishimwe added.
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The eco-tourism park will be Rwanda’s second, following Nyandungu Eco-Tourism Park in Kigali. Musanze District officials estimate the project to cost Rwf10 billion.
The Mukungwa Urban Eco-tourism Park will be part of the "Integrated Mukungwa Wetland and Landscape Restoration Project,” financially supported by the German government through KfW and the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC).
Communities affected by flooding along the Mukungwa River in the Northern and Western Provinces may find relief through a $300 million initiative that will soon commence.
Proposed interventions include catchment restoration structures, expansion of road crossings, riverbank fortifications, sediment management, large detention dykes, and protection of river buffer zones.
Ecotourism to occupy 283.8 hectares
Nishimwe noted that urbanisation in Musanze district will cover 9,777.38 hectares (22.09%), agriculture 19,203.03 hectares (36.4%), water bodies 1,879 hectares (3.5%), forest 18,203.2 hectares (34.5%), and ecotourism 283.8 hectares (0.5%).
Musanze district has also partnered with investors to renovate old buildings and construct new multi-storey structures, as part of its rapid urbanisation efforts. The catalytic projects for Musanze include the Volcano expansion zone by the Rwanda Development Board, an inauguration center, and industrial zones for general and light industries.
The master plan is based on five planning concepts: protection of agricultural land, mixed-use and mixed-income development, densification, incremental housing development, and green growth.
Ecotourism in other districts with newly approved master plans
The government has also approved master plans for Gakenke, Kirehe, Musanze, Ngoma, Nyaruguru, Rubavu, Rulindo, and Rwamagana, which include provisions for eco-tourism. Ecotourism will cover 308.9 hectares in Rwamagana District, 36 hectares in Rulindo District, and 8.1 hectares in Gakenke District.
Urbanisation, agriculture, water bodies, forests, wetlands, and buffer zones are also prioritized in these plans to ensure balanced and sustainable development.