Two Sides of the Coin: Unveiling the Socioeconomic Impacts of Land Expropriation on Kigali Residents

Abstract

In a bid to become global cities and centers of innovation, many African cities have embraced rapid physical transformation as the default urban development paradigm. However, this development mantra is exacting a significant social cost. At the core of this physical transformation lies land expropriation, granting governments the power to accumulate land in the name of public interest. Focusing on Kigali as a case study and employing the livelihood asset framework and snowball sampling technique, we examine the impact of land expropriation on asset endowment and the well-being of affected individuals. Results reveal a complex picture. Expropriation dispossesses individuals of their primary productive livelihood assets – physical, financial, and social – leading to impoverishment. This practice not only risks exacerbating the poverty cycle but also undermines Kigali's reputation as a "Model City of Africa." Rebuilding these assets has proved challenging for most, with insufficient compensation often used for subsistence rather than productive activities. To cope with the new life, livelihood diversification emerges as the primary resilience-building strategy. However, the study reveals that expropriation does not always result in the deprivation of productive assets. In cases where individuals receive adequate compensation, expropriation appears to facilitate social mobility through improved housing and investments in profitable ventures. Nonetheless, expropriation, the study concludes, yields significant and varied socio-economic impacts, and addressing these would require integrated and multifaceted measures. We advocate for a revised compensation package by the government to mitigate asset deprivation. Additionally, we recommend government investment in affordable housing, alternative livelihood options, promotion of participatory planning, facilitation of capital acquisition for small-scale businesses, and coaching for affected property owners on investment strategies and livelihood reconstitution post-expropriation.