Abstract
The key question in this article is the extent to which current real property expropriation practices in Kigali city promote spatial justice. Current studies focus on the ambiguous manner in which real property valuation had been regulated by the expropriation law of 2007, leading to unfair compensation and various conflicts between expropriating agencies and expropriated people. Following its amendment in 2015, the law currently provides clearer procedures for valuation and fair compensation, based on the market prices. Using indicators that measure spatial justice, this study evaluates if the current expropriation processes result in spatial justice, consisting of procedural, recognitional and redistributive justice. These indicators are described using three dimensions of spatial justice: rules, processes and outcomes. Data were collected through household surveys, focus group discussions, stakeholders’ interviews and observations in four urban neighbourhoods where expropriation has taken place in Kigali city. Interpretative and statistical analysis of the data reveals some patterns of procedural, recognitional and redistributive justice in the rules dimension. There is no indication of any pattern for other dimensions. This relates to limited budgets of expropriating agencies which insufficiently follow the law. The consequence is the decreased redistributive justice in the compensation and the increase in the displacement effect of expropriation. Although, counter-valuations result in fair compensation, there is limited evidence for good trends of spatial justice in the whole process of expropriation.
Highlights
Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda, has experienced rapid population growth over the last20 years, with a growth rate of around 4.0% per year
This paper aims to investigate if there are features of spatial justice in the current Rwandan expropriation law and its implementation processes in Kigali city and whether they result in just compensation
Good trends of spatial justice are observed in the current expropriation law
Summary
The capital city of Rwanda, has experienced rapid population growth over the last20 years, with a growth rate of around 4.0% per year. Its population is expected to reach 4 million by 2040 [1] Such population growth has not been coupled with the provision of basic amenities, services and housing [2] and has resulted in uncontrolled spatial development [3], proliferation of informal settlements and environmental degradation [4]. Other actions consist of developing socio-economic infrastructure in different urban neighbourhoods [7] These actions have been framed by the government’s vision to modernise the country, creating modern and dynamic cities which are more attractive and economically prosperous [8,9]. Their implementation affects negatively the livelihoods of real property owners because they involve processes of expropriation
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