Feasibility studies are ongoing to pave the way for the development of Masaka wetland into an ecotourism lake and help contain its flooding. 

Located in Kicukiro district, Kigali, the wetland is subjected to constant flooding during rainy seasons—risking the infrastructure in the vicinity.

The flooding in the area has been blamed on a combination of heavy rainfall and man-made activities such as agriculture, industrialisation, and road construction among others. 

Remy Norbert Duhuze, the Water Monitoring and Quality Control Division Manager at Rwanda Water Resources (RWB), said feasibility on a dyke meant to prevent flooding of the wetland has been completed.

Other studies, he said, were still ongoing. 

Construction of the dyke around the wetland, according to engineers, is needed in order to contain the water before transforming the wetland into a lake to pave way for recreational activities.

"When the dyke is complete it forms a lake. Then the needed activities around it will have their own designs which will be used by other institutions that seek to make use of the reservoir,” he said.

Davis Bugingo, a flood Management and Water Storage Development Engineer for the project said the feasibility study for the dyke does not detail the recreational part of the whole project. 

This means that further studies detailing how the lake will be managed, its water levels and the recreational activities will be needed. 

Multipurpose dyke 

Bugingo said that feasibility shows the area where a multi-purpose dyke—designed to cater for railway, road, flood management and lake storage purposes— will pass. 

"The next step is to carry out detailed designs on the dyke to guide the planning and development of the area,” he said.

According to the developers, in addition to the development of ecotourism facilities in the area the dyke would serve to impound water, serve railway and road infrastructures. 

A proposal seen by The New Times, shows that the plans also include construction of a freight terminal station. Two railway corridors are proposed in this area.

The Kampala-Kigali Standard Gauge Railway is expected to have a freight terminal station close to the stagnation (with provision of 13 drainage culverts) while the Isaka-Kigali Standard Gauge Railway crosses the wetland area towards the final passenger station in Ndera.

Masaka wetland is among a number of wetlands that are set to be turned into recreational facilities.

The Gikondo wetlands located in Rwandex, Rwampara and Nyabugogo, Gacuriro, Mulindi and Masaka wetlands- which will be worked on to the same level as the recently completed Nyandungu Eco-Tourism Park.

The designated wetlands are expected to cost a staggering $40.2million.

The funding is part of $175 million project, funded by the World Bank, to ‘green’ the City of Kigali and the six secondary cities.

Over 20 per cent of wetlands in Kigali city or some 15.76 square kilometres –need rehabilitation so as to regain quality and pristine nature, according to a recently released Kigali urban wetland master plan.

The master plan developed by the Ministry of Environment indicates that Kigali has 7, 700 hectares or 77 square kilometres.