Giporoso mosque, located near Hill Top Hotel, is set to be relocated following plans to begin the expansion of the Prince House–Masaka Road in February, Rwanda Muslim Community has announced.
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As expropriation and demolition works get under way to pave the way for the road expansion, several major properties along the route will be affected.
At least 530 properties are expected to be impacted by the project, which aims to widen the road from two to four lanes and construct a flyover on a busy section to ease traffic congestion.
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The Muslim community has two mosques along the road, one of which will be affected.
"Remera-Giporoso Mosque is the one that will be relocated. The City of Kigali has informed us of the road expansion. The relocation will take place once we receive an official letter from the City of Kigali notifying us that the time has come,” Sheikh Musa Sindayigaya, the Mufti of Rwanda told The New Times.
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He said the Muslim community is still identifying a location where the mosque will be relocated.
"We do not know the location yet because we do not have land to relocate to in the same area,” he noted.
Road expansion to feature flyover
The expansion will affect 10 kilometres. The total cost of the Chinese-financed project stands at 437.12 million Chinese yuan, equivalent to about $60.5 million.
Part of Hilltop Hotel and Country Club have also been marked for demolition. Other businesses have embarked on relocation.
City of Kigali Mayor Samuel Dusengiyumva said during a press conference on Wednesday that road expansion activities are expected to begin in February.
"We hope that by February, construction of this road will have begun" Dusengiyumbva said.
"It is a road that will start from Prince House and extend to the Inyange factory, where the first phase will end. We are relocating residents with properties along the road. There are legal procedures we must follow, and so far we have not encountered any problems with the residents."
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Upon completion, the expanded road is expected to ease traffic congestion and improve connectivity between Kigali city centre and the Kigali Special Economic Zone, as well as Masaka Dry Port, while reducing transport time and costs.
It is also expected to improve access to Kigali International Airport and several institutions located along the road.
The mayor explained that measures will be put in place to allow construction work to continue while regular activities also proceed, enabling road users travelling in different directions to continue their journeys.
The section from Prince House to an area known as Ku Cya Mitsingi will feature a 1.2-kilometre flyover with four lanes.
Some vehicles will use the flyover, while others will pass through an underpass.