City of Kigali vows to fast-track major road project after budget constraints

The City of Kigali Mayor, Samuel Dusengiyumva, has pledged to expedite the implementation of Kigali Infrastructure Project (KIP) that consists of construction roads totaling more than 215 km, which was hindered by funding shortages. Regarding timeline, he said that the construction works are expected to be completed within five months. He made the pledge on May 6 during hearings of the Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which was analysing issues related to public asset mismanagement that were exposed by the report of the Auditor General of State Finances for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023. ALSO READ: City of Kigali kicks off construction of 70km roads According to the report, the project faced a funding shortage after only over a third of the required more than $404 million (approx. Rwf520 billion) was secured. The report showed that on May 5, 2020, the City of Kigali entered into a 10-year pre-financing agreement – with a contractor – worth more than $404 million for KIP, which was for the construction of 215.5 km of roads. It pointed out that the project was in six phases that had be completed in four years on April 25, 2025. Among other concerns, the audit found that overall progress of the project was slow, indicating that it was at 21.3 per cent of completion as at the time of audit in March 2024. As a result of slow progress, it observed, on 15 January 2023, the City of Kigali Executive Committee meeting resolved that only activities of phase one and two of KIP should be completed, before starting any new phase due to a funding challenge. As at the time of audit March 2024, the report revealed, the KIP execution period had reached 74.8 per cent of its planned four-year period, but only $150 million, equivalent to 37 per cent of the total budget had been raised. “The shortage of funds will delay the completion of the project,” the report concluded, adding that delays in completing phases one and two contributed to high finance costs of more than $36 million, potentially leading to increased project expenses and adverse effects on the project implementation. ALSO READ: CoK to resume road works, targets mid-year completion MPs wanted to know the circumstances around the delayed project, and the way forward, given that construction works for some roads stalled. Dusengiyumva said that the project has had a great contribution to the development of road infrastructure in the city, “especially when we were about to host Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM)”. The meeting took place in Kigali from June 20 to 25, 2022, ALSO READ: City upgrades alternative routes ahead of CHOGM But he pointed out that the project faced funding shortage which hindered its implementation. Nevertheless, he said, progress has been made regarding the way forward for its execution. “We already agreed at government level that the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning is going to collaborate with the City of Kigali for it to get means so that all the undertaken roads to be completed,” he said. The project, he pointed out, had four phases, but its implementation was still at the second phase, pointing out “that’s where all the issues emanated from. We therefore want to find a sustainable way to execute the next phases, and that construction works are set to resume by the end of May as “means are about to be available.” Implementation status of some of the roads in question PAC Chairperson, Valens Muhakwa, wanted to know some of the roads whose construction was stopped, and when they could be completed based on their current different implementation rates. Dusengiyumva responded that there are some roads that were near completion, giving an example of the road from Kabeza to Airport, and Busanza for which he said only final touches were needed and it will be completed within a month; the road from African Leadership University to Musave (in Bumbogo Sector, Gasabo District). “In fact, the road that is still far behind is Rusororo-Gasogi which might take us about five months, but we are working with the contractor, such that we might use many shifts to expedite it,” he said. Talking about other roads that need more works, he cited the road Miduha-Mageragere that connects to Mageragere Correctional Facility; and the Sonatubes-Nyakabanda-Alpha Palace road that connects to a road leading to Kabeza, in Kicukiro District. Others are Busanza-Muyange road in Kicukiro District, for which he said only a bridge component is not yet set up; Kagugu-Vision City-Utexrwa road, and other roads in Gacuriro Cell, and Rugenge-Muhima Hospital-Nyabugogo road which connects to an area called Kwa Mutangana; as well as Remera-Baho road that links the area called Mumigina in Remera Sector of Gasabo District, and Baho hospital, indicating that its section at a marshland area must be constructed. Regarding timeframe, he said that the construction works are expected to be completed within five months.

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City of Kigali vows to fast-track major road project after budget constraints