Public transport agencies that have busses plying upcountry routes are set to relocate from their various terminals in the City Centre to the Nyabugogo Bus Terminal.

These include Volacano Express, Stella, Belvedere, Virunga and Impala.

The consensus to move the buses was reached upon after the agencies and the City of Kigali met to seek a solution to the congestion in the city centre.

Speaking to The New Times yesterday, the Director of Communications at Kigali City, Bruno Rangira, said that preparations to have the buses relocated are underway.

"We are actually behind schedule since they were supposed to move by June. The delay was caused by the construction of offices for the agencies at the Nyabugogo terminal,” said Rangira.

He said that the construction works on the offices are in the final stages and that by end of this month, the offices would have relocated.

"The transport agencies were operating from facilities which were not planned for that purpose. This caused congestion and blocking of roads the the City Centre.”

Close to 20 agencies have been affected.

In an interview with The New Times, Olivier Nizeyimana, the proprietor of Volcano Express and vice president of the Private Commuter Bus Companies Association, said they don’t mind moving but the new offices are small.

"We were provided with small spaces for offices which could cause a mess if you compare it to the number of passengers,” Nizeyimana said, adding that the relocation process should be reviewed.

He explained that they tried to raise the issue with Nyarugenge authorities but were told that the Rwanda Environmental Management Authority (REMA) cannot authorise putting up a permanent structure since the terminal is in a wetland.

According to Francis Kananga, a regular passenger to the Eastern Province, the relocation will affect him.

"My work has been rotating between the City Centre and Kagitumba, now I will be compelled to travel to Nyabugogo to catch the bus to my destination. It is an inconvenience to me,” Kananga said.

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