Residents of Ndera Sector in Kigali yesterday laid a foundation stone for a new market at Musave during the monthly community work, Umuganda. The facility will enable mainly women food vendors improve their business and incomes.

Rwanda Development Board Chief Executive Officer, Francis Gatare, who took part in the community work, told residents that the new market should provide opportunities to sell goods to a wider section of the public.

"This facility should serve the local people but also contribute to the bigger market at national and international level,” he said.

Mukansanga Apollonia, a fruits vendor, said the new market will improve hygiene around the market as well as help expand product range due to improved storage facilities.

"We sell products on the floor and there is too much dust; there is no roof and when it rains; we wrap our goods and go home. We hope that this will improve our businesses attract more customers from the city centre,” he said.

The new market is funded by private companies and residents, according to Alfred Nduwayezu, the Executive Secretary Ndera Sector.

"We hope this facility will improve the quality of products we sell,” he said.

The market will be completed in five months, according Charles Kakozi Nkuriza, one of the private business proprietors financing the project.

Tree planting

The residents also planted about 5,000 trees.  

City of Kigali Mayor, Fidele Ndayisaba, told the people to plant more trees because the sector is near the Special Economic Zone Rwanda, an industrial area.

"Trees will help us absorb carbon emissions from factories, while ensuring supply of oxygen,” he said.

Residents were joined in the community work by Soon Taik Hwang, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Rwanda who affirmed that through Umuganda, Rwanda would develop in shorter time.

"Korea used Umuganda concept to develop in a short period, and, I strongly support this cause well knowing where it has gotten our county from,” he said.