Not everything loves floating, especially Kigali

The sight of Kigali Wednesday morning was like a scene out of a post- Tsunami movie, complete with floating debris, floods and deaths.Rains had pounded the city non-stop for hours and visibility reduced to a few metres. Roads were washed away, poorly constructed buildings collapsed and trees lining Kigali’s streets were swept awayAs usual, Nyabugogo valley bore the full brunt of the storm as it became a massive instant lake complete with floating cars, fruits and vegetables.The whole valley that stretches all the way to Gikondo industrial area was in similar shape and the folly of building in wetlands rang home to proprietors of warehouses, factories and entertainment spots where revelers stood waist deep in water.That is what beautiful Kigali transforms into when the heavens open up in anger, unleashing torrential showers that put poor urban planners to shame. Though the death toll was mercifully low (four reported) worse could have happened. City authorities should walk the talk and take drastic measures to put things in order and they should expect it to come with a price.Remodeling Kigali that was built in a haphazard manner will not come cheap and its hilly topography does not make it easier. Take Mont Kigali for example: The poor dwellings that were set up in the last 15 years are the main cause of the Nyabugogo and Rwampara flooding headaches.There is no proper control mechanisms for the rain water that come hurtling down from the rooftops of most of the buildings at Mont Kigali. Few inhabitants harvest the water to reduce the amount of flow and the drainage channels are inadequate.Mont Kigali and Mont Jali that overlook the city are sitting time bombs: The houses perched in precarious positions need just a simple nudge for disaster to strike.Many blame the freak weather patterns to climate change and the ensuing disasters, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. The real culprit is poor urban planning, lax planning that allow people to construct buildings in flood plains (Gikondo, Kanogo, Giti Cyinyoni, Nyabugogo, etc) and poor drainage systems.As pointed out above, relocating all occupants of the wetlands will need extraordinary resources – financially and policy wise – and the people expect the government to foot the bill for the mess created by local officials who looked the other way as buildings were erected in contravention of existing laws.One might argue that the Kigali City Master Plan was devised to address the issue, but in all honesty, that will take ages. What the city needs is immediate solutions, and if necessary, step on a few toes by clearing all structures in the wetlands and disaster prone areas.People tend to be egotistical when faced with the possibility of sacrificing for the common good and that is understandable. The structures were not built on wheels to be carted away when forced to do so, it means beginning from scratch.But should the majority risk their lives for the sake of not hurting feelings and antagonising a section of society? Or should the local administration introduce a new blanket levy to cater for the relocation? Your guess is as good as mine; that is a tricky question.But whatever options are taken, it will be a bitter pill to swallow; someone somewhere will feel shortchanged, but one cannot gauge the waters’ temperature without taking the plunge. Otherwise, Kigali’s pristine features would have to contend being overshadowed by a new description during the rainy season; “The amazing city of floating cars”. We deserve better than being forced to keep a canoe handy.The writer is the Executive Editor of The New Times.