Last Change:

07/21/2025

Law N° 43/2013 of 16/06/2013 governing land in Rwanda

Year: 2013

Type: Domestic law

Rights Category: Housing, land & property

Link to external source: https://rema.gov.rw/fileadmin/templates/Documents/rema_doc/Laws%20and%20Regulations_Updated/Laws/Law%20Governing%20Land%20in%20Rwanda.pdf
Description

This Law determines modalities of allocating, acquisition, transfer, use and management of land in
Rwanda. It also establishes the principles applicable to rights recognised over all lands situated on Rwanda’s national territory and all rights united or incorporated with land, whether naturally or artificially.

Selected provisions
Article 6: Freehold right to land

Any Rwandan citizen is entitled to be granted
freehold title to land reserved for residential,
industrial, commercial, social, cultural or scientific
services.

Freehold rights shall apply only to developed land
where infrastructures are erected and its extent shall
be strictly limited to the area of land that is necessary to support the authorised developments
on the land and their amenity.

For a group of individuals co-owning land, a
business company, an organisation or association
with legal personality, freehold title can only be
granted if at least 51% of its stake is owned by
Rwandan citizens, except for land designated as
Special Economic Zones.

Modalities for obtaining freehold title are
determined by an Order of the Minister in charge of
land.