According to the district, this activity has created employment for 9,650 people through 36 licensed companies operating in the sector.
Several rivers host multiple licensed mining sites, including the Sebeya River, which has four sand mining sites, and the Koko River, which has three.
Rutsiro District Executive Secretary, Pierre Claver Bagirishya, told IGIHE that sand mining generated substantial revenue, accounting for about 39% of the district's total income, which reached 1.15 billion Rwandan Francs in the 2024/25 financial year.
'For the 2024/25 fiscal year, we had projected tax revenues of 1,115 million Frw, but we exceeded that target, reaching 1,150 million Frw, achieving a performance rate of 103%,' he said.
He added that for the 2025/26 fiscal year, the district aims to raise total tax and fee collections to Frw 1,400 million.
Residents say the activity has improved their livelihoods while contributing to the district's development.
Tumaini Habumugisha, from Gihango Sector, said the income he earned enabled him to buy two pigs and more than ten chickens, ensuring his family never lacks food.
He also noted that on a single mining site along the Koko River, between 300 and 400 people work daily to support their families.
Another resident, Augustin Uwiringiyimana, said income from sand mining allowed him to build a home.
'I did not have a house before, but now I have built one with two bedrooms and a living room thanks to the income from digging and packing sand,' he explained.
The majority of the district's tax revenueâ€"over Frw 450 million â€"comes from sand mining, making it the largest contributor, followed by land fees.
Other revenue streams include payments for trading licences, property taxes, rental income taxes, leasing of government property, and fines.
IGIHE
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/rutsiro-nets-over-frw-450-million-from-sand-mining-in-one-year
