CITY OF KIGALI KICK-OFF CONSTRUCTION OF 10 ROADS PROJECTS

The City of Kigali has kicked off the construction of 10 roads in different parts of the capital.

The roads are part of the Kigali Infrastructure Project (KIP) to build a 215 kilometers road network and several bridges by 2024 according to Merard Mpabwanamaguru, City of Kigali’s vice-mayor in charge of urbanization and infrastructure.

The construction works comprising 70 Kilometres, which kicked off on November 24, are part of Phase two of the project.

The roads include UTEXRWA -Kagugu road, Rwinyana Village Road, Remera-Baho-RDB, road, Migina- Controle Technique Road, and Mulindi- Gasogi- Kabuga Road.

They also include Busanza- Muyange road, Kagarama- Muyange road, Sonatubes-Sahara Road, Miduha-Mageragere road, and Rugenge-Muhima hospital-Nyabugogo.

“Our staff are on the site during working hours to facilitate those who might need any support. Sometimes you will be asked to use deviation roads due to the stage of construction works,” the city informed the public.

Over 2,009 households might be expropriated to pave the way for construction activities, the city officials said.

Emmanuel Katabarwa, the city engineer in August this year, said: ” We plan to complete the roads by the end of this fiscal year (at the end of June next year) but sometimes we face other challenges such as heavy rains, features of some roads among others that can derail the construction progress.”

Katabarwa added that another planned road in this phase is The indigo-Masizi-Birembo-Kami-Gasanze road which stretches for 10.4km saying that it is already “under design”.

In total 21 sections of roads could be constructed this fiscal year

Meanwhile, the city engineer said the Giporoso-Kabuga highway will be expanded under the project by Rwanda Transport Development Agency (RTDA).

“Studies are being carried out for this project,” he said.

He said all such connected roads will significantly reduce congestion in bigger roads.

According to estimates from the ministry of infrastructure, it costs Rwf600 million to construct a Kilometre of the standard road (asphalt concrete roads with durable surface materials).

The City of Kigali has announced plans to construct 43 new flyovers and four-lane roads to ease congestion across the capital.

A flyover is a bridge or road that carries one road over another, while a four-lane road is a highway with two lanes for traffic in each direction.

Katabarwa noted that due to budget constraints, however, they will have to start with priorities.

“There is a big issue of vehicle congestion, especially in road junctions. We have identified 43 junctions where it is not easy to move from one road to another. We have to expand the junctions and construct flyovers. But as we face budget constraints, we start with priorities,” he said.

He cited plans to construct flyovers in Giporoso-Prince House to Kabuga because there is a project to expand big roads with four lanes that enter into Kigali city.

“One example is that of Gahanga-Sonatube. We will expand Nyabarongo-Kanogo road with four lanes and studies have started,” he said