Explore publications.

Hydropower projects are vital for Rwanda’s economic growth, contributing to the national GDP and accounting for 48% of the country’s installed power capacity. However, these projects face significant environmental risks, including pollution, sedimentation, fluctuating water volumes, and natural disasters such as floods and landslides, which threaten operational efficiency and long-term sustainability. This study aimed to examine the influence of environmental risk factors, specifically pollution risk, sedimentation risk, volume risk, and natural disaster risk, on the performance of hydropower projects in Rwanda, with a focus on Rwaza Hydropower Project in Musanze District. The study is grounded in Stakeholder Theory and Risk Society Theory and adopted descriptive and correlational research designs. The target population consisted of 112 participants, including project managers, plant managers, operators, regulators, and other relevant stakeholders. The study highlights the significant negative influence of pollution, sedimentation, volume fluctuations, and natural disaster risks on the performance of hydropower projects in Rwanda. It is recommended that project managers strengthen environmental management, implement effective sediment and water volume control measures, enhance disaster preparedness, and involve local communities to sustain project performance. Future research could examine the economic impacts of environmental risks, the effectiveness of mitigation strategies, climate change effects, and community participation in improving hydropower sustainability.      

This study examined the influence of implementation interventions on the success of education infrastructure projects in Rwanda, using the China-Aided Expansion Project of IPRC Musanze as a case study. The study was grounded in the recognition that project success is not solely dependent on the availability of financial resources but is largely influenced by the effectiveness of implementation strategies throughout the project lifecycle. Specifically, the study assessed the effect of materials and resource management, financial management, technology adoption, and human expertise and skills development on project success. The study was guided by Implementation Theory and the Project Success Model and adopted both descriptive and correlational research designs. The target population comprised 123 employees of IPRC Musanze at the time of project implementation, including three who were assigned to supervise the project on behalf of the beneficiary institution, as well as 1,243 students who were enrolled during the same period. This resulted in a total population of 1,366 respondents. A mixed sampling approach was employed, whereby a census technique was applied to the employee category, while simple random sampling was used for the student category. Data were collected using questionnaires, interviews, and document review to ensure triangulation and enhance the validity of findings. 

Effective management of human, material, and financial resources is crucial for delivering housing construction projects successfully. In Musanze District, Rwanda, many housing projects have faced delays and cost overruns, largely due to weaknesses in planning, coordination, and resource use. Using the Resource-Based View (RBV) and Systems Theory as guiding frameworks, this study assessed how resource management strategies impact the performance of housing construction projects. A descriptive survey design with correlational analysis was used. The study targeted 152 stakeholders, including district infrastructure officers, project managers, site engineers, architects, quantity surveyors, foremen, skilled workers, and material suppliers. A stratified random sample of 110 participants was drawn, and a 10% pilot test (n = 11) was conducted to ensure the questionnaire’s clarity. Reliability analysis using Cronbach’s Alpha produced a value of 0.826, indicating strong internal consistency. Content validity was confirmed with a CVI of 0.87. Data were analyzed in SPSS 25 using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression at a 5% significance level. Findings indicated that overall project delivery performance was high (composite mean = 4.38). Key delivery indicators such as quality (mean = 4.74), scope achievement (4.56), and stakeholder satisfaction (4.35) were strong, while timely completion recorded the lowest performance (mean = 4.02). Material Resource Management (MRM) exhibited a strong, positive, and statistically significant correlation with project delivery (r = 0.510, p = 0.000), making it the most influential individual strategy.

The study investigates the effect of project resource management—including human, financial, material, and technological resources—on the performance of housing construction projects, with a case study of the One and Only Resort’s Staff Accommodation Project in Musanze District, Rwanda. Effective resource management is essential for optimizing project outcomes, yet Rwanda’s construction sector faces challenges such as workforce skill gaps and motivation issues that hinder efficiency. Grounded in the Resource-Based View Theory, Human Capital Theory, and Theory of Change, the research employed a descriptive and correlational design, targeting 308 stakeholders, including project managers, skilled laborers, administrative staff, and consultants. A sample of 174 participants was selected through stratified sampling, with data collected via questionnaires, interviews, and documentation. The instruments demonstrated strong validity (0.892) and reliability (0.803). Using SPSS version 28 for correlation and regression analysis at a 0.05 significance level, the study rejected all four null hypotheses (p = 0.000), confirming that human, financial, material, and technology resource management significantly enhance project performance. The findings underscore the importance of strategic resource allocation in improving construction efficiency and project success. The study recommends that project managers continuously refine resource management strategies to optimize outcomes and suggests future research on the role of risk management in housing construction projects. This research provides valuable insights into resource optimization in Rwanda’s construction sector, offering practical guidance for enhancing housing project performance through effective resource management. 

Effective communication is critical for project success, but challenges such as unclear goals, inadequate audience identification, poorly designed communication channels, and insufficient documentation have hindered project outcomes. Drawing from global and regional perspectives, this study emphasizes the role of communication in enhancing transparency, stakeholder alignment, and project sustainability. This study examines the influence of communication strategies of goals, audience identification, channels and documentation on performance of water supply projects in Musanze District, Rwanda. This study uses the theories of Communication and Diffusion of Innovations Theory. The study employs a descriptive survey and correlational research design with a target population of 416 respondents, resulting in a sample size of 204 respondents. Data was collected through questionnaires, interviews, and documentation review. A pilot study was conducted with 20 respondents and the instruments' validity was confirmed with a Content Validity Index (CVI) of 0.76, while reliability was confirmed with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.79. Findings for four hypotheses reveal that; Communication Goals (P=0.000 < 0.05); Audience Identification (P=0.000 < 0.05); communication channels (P=0.000 < 0.05) and; Communication Documentation (P=0.000 < 0.05) does not significantly influence project performance were rejected, this confirm that Communication Documentation has a significant positive influence on project performance. Means that communication goals, audience identification, communication channels, and documentation all significantly contribute to the success of water supply projects. The study identifies key areas for improvement, including clearer communication goals, more inclusive stakeholder engagement, better accessibility of communication channels, and more systematic documentation practices. Based on these findings, recommendations are made for better budget planning, stakeholder engagement, and enhanced communication practices to improve the sustainability and success of future water supply projects in Musanze District and similar contexts. Further research should explore sustainable maintenance models, the impact of capacity-building programs, and the role of communication in budget management to improve stakeholder collaboration and long-term project viability.

S Stakeholder engagement has been indicated as great driver for successful electrification projects in many countries, including settings similar to Rwanda. However, little is known about its influence on electrification projects in Rwanda. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how different strategies of stakeholder engagement influence performance of electrification project Musanze District, Rwanda, with a focus on RUEAP. Specific focus was on collaboration strategy, involvement strategy, empowerment strategy and consultation strategy. Stakeholder theory and Goal Setting Theory informed the study. The study used descriptive survey and correlational research designs. A structured questionnaire and interview guide were used to collect quantitative data from 452 participants who were selected using Stratified, random and purposive sampling from a target population of 4691. The questionnaire was piloted with 47 participants, representing 10% of the sample size. The Validity of instrument was done and the coefficient of 0.8 was obtained. Reliability was established using Cronbach’s alpha test, and a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.899 was found. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics of Correlation and Regression were done at a significance level of 0.05 using SPSS version 28 while thematic content analysis of qualitative data was done on qualitative data.  The findings for four hypotheses were tested at ?=.05 level of significance and the results were: stakeholder collaboration (P=0.011<0.05); stakeholder involvement (P=0.015<0.05); stakeholder empowerment (P=0.000<0.05) and; stakeholder consultation (P=0.007<0.05) does not significantly influence performance of electrification projects were rejected, confirming that they all had a significant influence on project performance. The study concludes that Stakeholders’ engagement in electrification project in Musanze have significantly influenced the electrification project performance. It is recommended that RUEAP project should continue to prioritize stakeholder engagement during the implementation of the project, but greater emphasis must be considered to begin engagement during the planning stage to ensure that the project aligns with public needs and expectation. Future research should involve a nationally representative sample of stakeholders would paint a picture of how engagement influence performance that is generalizable to other settings across Rwanda.