Local leaders have told residents living near the wetland that straddles Kigali Golf and Parliament premises to be ready for expropriation to pave way for real estate, recreational, golf expansion and a proposed five-star hotel project.
In a meeting that was held recently, Patrick Ndanga, the Executive Secretary of Kimihurura sector said that the unplanned settlements in these areas will soon be upgraded as the city of Kigali and investors implement a project dubbed "Kigali Golf Resort and Villas” project that has entered its second phase.
"Residents must be ready for expropriation in public interest. We have also realised most of the residents in these areas can’t afford to build houses similar to those that are planned in the master plan. Those with properties and others who rent should start thinking of where they will relocate after expropriation,” he said.
The New Times has learnt that property valuation will start early next year.
"We should have access to the land cost index before property valuation starts so that our land value is not undermined,” Claudine Mukamunana, one of the residents, requested.
The price of land increased by 19 per cent in the City of Kigali according to the recent land cost index commissioned by Rwanda Land Use Authority.
In an exclusive interview with The New Times on Wednesday, Josue Dushimimana, the CEO of Rwanda Ultimate Golf Course Ltd said that there is a $300 million investment plan to change the face of Kigali city.
Rwanda Ultimate Golf Course Ltd is a subsidiary of Rwanda Social Security Board.
Besides expanding Golf Course, part of the money will be spent on real estate, recreational, golf expansion, and four-star hotel project execution in areas where a number of households that is yet to be established will soon be expropriated.
The wetland and its surroundings where these projects will be implemented is encircled by Gacuriro real estate, King Faisal Hospital, Kigali Heights, Kigali Convention Centre, Parliament Buildings and Nyarutarama.
"There is an estimated 15 hectares to be expropriated soon,” he said.
This is equivalent to an estimated 500 standard plots (of 300 square metres each).
Eco- Park
He said they are also engaging different stakeholders to establish an eco-park in the wetland that is similar to Nyandungu eco-tourism park which was newly established.
"This is a big project that will cost $300 million. The Golf course was phase one of the project. It is a big master plan which was designed by Gary Player Design. There is a planned five-star hotel. There will be a sports bar, bistros, restaurant, champagne bar, conference room, gyms, a club for children, Tennis courts among others besides golf course,” he said.
He said that the hotel could have between 50 and 60 rooms as well as conference halls.
Commercial real estate, recreational Lake
Dushimimana said that there is planned real estate for sale with over 600 houses.
"That is why as the project expands, expropriation is carried out,” he said.
He said there are also many entertainment projects to be implemented.
"The idea is not just to create a golf course. We want to create a product that accommodates residents of Kigali and visitors of Kigali. We will have more activities where people can enjoy weekends in Kigali without leaving the capital.
We are looking at introducing restaurants and shops around the Nyarutarama Golf Lake in this project. We can also have water sports there,” he noted.
Connecting to the convention Centre
"This whole area from the current golf course around Gacuriro estates up to the Convention Centre, Kigali Heights, is going to be linked as one ecosystem.
There is a lot of residential development in the area as we have the Vision City project and we have a lot of conferences as part of MICE and therefore we can be the link in that,” he said.
He said that residents are being informed about the project before expropriation in a manner that is appropriate in accordance with the law.
"It is a project which started in 2019 by building the golf course and the execution will take over 10 years as it has to be built according to market demand. We want to have an integrated community.
The 1st phase to construct the golf course employed around 1,000 people and now over 200 currently operate the golf course. We hope more thousands of jobs will be created in the next projects,” he said.
Sports tourism
Rwanda has begun promoting a new type of tourism, Golf tourism, with the aim to promote conservation and natural environment protection.
Rwanda Chamber of Tourism launched the first "Golf for Conservation” initiative aimed at promoting conservation best practices in Rwanda and promoting golf as a sports tourism.
"Kigali Golf is more than just a sports area but a conservation hub to over 60 bird species,” Dushimimana said.
In the previous year, the sports tourism industry in Rwanda generated over $6 million, accounting for 13 per cent of the total generated revenues earned from the MICE industry.