RALGA and the National Land Authority induct female interns in land administration before their deployment in local government.
Muhanga, 09–16 September 2026 - RALGA, in collaboration with the National Land Authority (NLA), successfully conducted a training for 86 female professional interns who will serve in One Stop Centres across all districts and the City of Kigali for a six-month internship programme. The internship programme is part of RALGA's broader vision to contribute towards the achievement of SDG #5 “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls,” particularly within local government.
A total of 86 best-performing young female fresh graduates with land surveying academic backgrounds from various universities took part in the training held in Kabgayi, Muhanga District.
The training covered key aspects of land administration, including the legal and regulatory framework governing land management; land administration procedures, Land Use Master Plans, and zoning regulations; land surveying standards and relevant land administration concepts and forms; the use of digital land administration systems and platforms and the Land Information Inquiry Portal; practical field data collection using GPS-enabled tablets; boundary correction procedures and spatial data verification; processing of spatial-related land transactions in LAIS; professional conduct, integrity, confidentiality, accountability, and service ethics; and effective handling of citizens’ land-related matters at One Stop Centres.
Participants also reviewed common errors in spatial land transactions, practiced their identification, validation, and correction, and explored the processing of emerging land transactions. The training further provided opportunities for practical exercises, questions and clarifications, reflection on key lessons, recommendations and next steps, as well as participant feedback and evaluation.
Mr. Serge Byiza, an analyst at the National Land Authority, cautioned the interns that boundary disputes remain one of the most persistent challenges in land service delivery.
“The challenges we have in land service delivery are rooted in boundaries, and in your responsibilities, you will have to deal with those issues as well. When handling citizens' complaints and disputes, always abide by the law, procedures, and protocols in place. NLA and RALGA are there for you. We are ready to support you in accomplishing your assigned roles,” Byiza said.
The interns were deployed across all districts and the City of Kigali, where they will support enhanced service delivery in local government, particularly in One Stop Centres, until 30th March 2027.
RALGA's Local Government Capacity Development Manager, Mr. Théoneste Ukize, expressed that the training was designed to give interns practical skills and guidance ahead of their deployment to local government.
"The purpose of the training is to equip the interns with knowledge and practical skills required for effective land administration service delivery at One Stop Centres, where they will be deployed for a six-month internship programme. We expect that they will support the districts to improve service delivery in land-related services." Ukize said.
Every year, RALGA, in partnership with the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion (MIGEPROF) and accredited public and private higher learning institutions, selects the best-performing female fresh university graduates and places them across various departments in districts and the City of Kigali for a six-month internship.
The programme aims to connect and familiarize young women with the environment and the opportunities in local government while encouraging them to compete for technical and leadership positions at all levels of decentralized local government entities in order to increase the number of women's representation in these entities and promote their active participation in local governance, which remains one of the strongest pillars of leadership in Rwanda.
Since its launch in 2019, over 1,172 young women have joined the programme. Many participants have gone on to secure decent and fulfilling jobs and leadership positions in local government, other public institutions, private companies, and civil society organizations.
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