Engineering contractors are not known for meeting the deadline and many projects delay until superior intervention or looming lawsuits come into the picture. It is therefore uplifting that road construction works in Musanze town are not only track, but they seem set to beat the deadline with months to spare. That spirit and sense of urgency seems to be lacking in Kigali City at the moment. The City has embarked on major road works in all corners of Kigali. Several months ago, many neighbourhoods were littered with earth movers and graders. Major works were in progress. The urgency that was being shown then has suddenly died down. The heavy machinery has vacated the neighbourhoods and all that is left are curtains of dust because of the dry season. The lull in the road construction could be the result of valid reasons, but if work comes to a halt and four, five months pass with no activity, then there must be problem. Either contractors take on many projects at once and spread themselves too thin or supervisory services are wanting. City authorities would be best advised to request contractors to finish one project before embarking on another. As the country firmly embarks towards regional integration, competition will be a major factor, and if we don’t shift into higher gears, we will be the losers. If local firms are to make a dent in regional construction projects, then they should seriously think about overhauling their method of work, otherwise, they will continue to play second fiddle to foreign companies.
