Peri-urbanization is a form of urbanization that
gradually incorporates peri-urban zones into the city. In
Rwanda, Kigali City outward expansion is a major concern
for future land use as it accelerates depletion of land for
other uses. The purpose of this paper is to analyse Kigali
City peri-urbanization and its implications on peri-urban land
use. Peri-urban land use changes were detected by density
analysis and map algebraic change detection techniques in
ArcGIS10.2 Software. Base maps were orthophoto of 2008
and GIS online world imagery 2014, Kigali city evolution
maps and Kigali City Master Plan maps 2007. The analysis
revealed that an average of 1,200 hectares of peri-urban land
around Kigali city is being built-up annually. The urban
housing footprint was about 12,100 hectares in 2014 from
8,900 hectares in 2005. This study also examined social,
economic and institutional factors that lead to the current
rapid land use changes in peri-urban areas outside Kigali
City. A field survey was carried out within 150 households
from two peri-urban zones of Muyumbu and Nyakaliro.
Findings show that out-migration from Kigali City is a major
driver for peri-urban land use dynamics. Out migration was
found to be fostered by various factors including the desire
to own a house, bigger plots, affordable land and lower
housing cost than in core urban areas of Kigali City. The
implication is that there is informal subdivision of land;
inconsiderable conversion of agricultural land into built-up
environment. It also implies that there is a need to enforce
land use plans in peri-urban areas to prevent outgrowth of
new informal settlements. In response to the current pressure
on peri-urban land, the study recommends the establishment
of land development and subdivision control regulations to
limit encroachment on agricultural land while adopting
housing intensification measures.