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Globally, an estimated 60% of people who died between 2023 and 2026 were cremated. Japan and South Korea lead the practice, with more than 90% of deaths resulting in cremation, while Sweden, Denmark and Slovenia report rates of around 87%.

The method is gaining popularity largely because it requires far less land than traditional burials.

A grave occupies significantly more space than an urn containing cremated remains, allowing cremation to reduce cemetery land use by up to 95%.

In countries such as Rwanda, where burial grounds may remain unused for up to 20 years and the population continues to grow, this presents a practical advantage.

Rwanda established a legal framework for cremation in 2015 through a ministerial order. Despite its benefits and growing global use, however, cremation remains an emotional subject for many people.

A new step for cremation in Rwanda

Rwanda may soon take another step by introducing electricity-powered cremation and establishing standard charges for the service. If all goes according to plan, the change could take effect in 2026.

Since Rwanda legalized cremation, members of the Hindu community, under Hindu Mandal, have been the primary providers of the service, mainly cremating the bodies of their fellow worshippers living or working in Rwanda.

The Government of Rwanda later reached an agreement with the Hindu community allowing their cremation facility to continue offering the service to all Rwandans who may wish to use it, especially since cremation has not yet become common among the local population.

The Hindu community, which has a temple in Kigali, originally operated a cremation site in the city. However, as Kigali expanded, the government requested that the facility be relocated from the city center to an area away from growing residential and development zones.

In 2009, the community moved the cremation site to Murama Cell in Nyamata Sector, Bugesera District.

However, a major challenge emerged: electricity had not yet reached the area, a situation that remains unchanged today. As a result, cremations have continued to be carried out using firewood rather than modern equipment.

Since the relocation, more than 200 bodies have been cremated at the site, including those of seven Rwandans. Most of the Rwandans cremated were married to foreigners from countries where cremation is a common practice.

Since January 2026 alone, the facility has cremated the remains of 20 foreign nationals, including several people who died in the same accident.

Officials responsible for managing the Hindu cremation site say preparations to introduce modern electric cremation services are at an advanced stage. The transition will also allow authorities to establish standard pricing for the service.

Until now, the service has largely been provided as assistance to those seeking cremation rather than as a commercial operation.

One official involved in managing the facility told IGIHE: “The installations have already been completed; what remains is the machinery. That is when the actual prices will be determined. Let electricity arrive first, then we will go to China to bring the cremation machines because the order has already been placed.”

The official declined to provide a specific timeline for the launch of electric cremation services but emphasized that preparations on their side are nearly complete.

The main remaining requirement is the extension of electricity to the area.

Electricity expected by the end of June

Valens Nzamurambaho, the official in charge of electricity matters in Bugesera District, told IGIHE that if everything proceeds as planned, electricity should reach several areas of the district that currently lack power, including the location of the cremation site, by the end of June 2026.

He said: “The project to extend electricity there is not limited to that area alone but also covers other sectors across Bugesera District. The contract between the Energy Development Corporation Limited [EDCL] and TBA in Nyamata Sector is, according to the information I have, expected to end in June.”

Nzamurambaho explained that the contract was originally expected to conclude only after electricity had already been supplied to the targeted areas.

He added: “The contract was supposed to be completed by the end of June, which also meant that electricity should already have reached those areas. Although there are still some challenges, not only in that location but also in other places as well, I do not foresee any problem for that area. Electricity could be available there by the end of June. If nothing changes, it should be by June 30.”

A practice with ancient roots

Historians note that the exact origins of cremation are not known. However, some records suggest that it was practiced in China as early as 8,000 years before Christ, while it became more widespread around the world by approximately 3,000 BC.

It is believed that cremation first spread through Europe before moving eastward into Asia and eventually reaching other regions.

Before cremation takes place, farewell ceremonies may be conducted depending on the beliefs of the deceased or their family.

The body is also inspected to ensure that it does not contain metal objects such as necklaces, rings or other items that could explode or be damaged during the cremation process. Such items are removed beforehand.

Under Rwanda’s ministerial regulations, a request for cremation may be made by the deceased before death or by a person authorized by them.

The request can be made either in writing or verbally in the presence of at least two adult witnesses.

The regulations further state that cremation must be carried out in a specially designed furnace powered by electricity and equipped with a continuous heat source. A backup generator must also be available to ensure operations continue during power outages.

The mayor of the district where a body is to be buried may authorize cremation if no individual comes forward to claim it.

After all required checks are completed, the body is placed in a cremation chamber or furnace. Regulations prohibit placing more than one body in the chamber at the same time.

The chamber operates at temperatures ranging between 600°C and 1,000°C, where the cremation process begins.

The entire process takes about three hours. What remains afterward is often referred to as ashes, although the remains are actually bone fragments. These fragments are passed through another machine that grinds them into a fine powder.

The cremated remains of a man typically weigh about 2.7 kilograms, while those of a woman average around 1.8 kilograms.

Rwanda’s ministerial regulations state that cremated remains are considered the property of the deceased’s family or, in some cases, the state.

Family members may agree to keep the ashes in a single urn or divide them among themselves as they wish.

The ashes may then be buried in a public cemetery, a private cemetery, at a family home, or in another location designated by the family. In cases where the deceased has no family, the state determines where the ashes will be placed.