Kigali residents and visitors will be glad to know that the construction of the Nyandungu Eco-Tourism park has been completed and will soon be accessible to the public. The target for the launch was July 2021, but visitors will have to wait a little longer. According to the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), plans to launch the park are underway. “The building of the park is finished. We are now planning an official launch,” Juliet Kabera, the Director-General of REMA said. The exact date of the official launch or when the park will be accessible to the public is yet to be disclosed. The project was financed by Rwanda Green Fund (FONERWA) to a tune of Rwf2.4 billion. It was designed in 2015 and works started in 2016. The goal was for the works to be done in two phases with a completion date in 2020. However, according to REMA, there were delays because of redesigning the project and change of the contractor. Nevertheless, the construction is complete, and the public eagerly awaits access to enjoy the activities the park has to offer. Environmentalists too are happy with the project, saying that it will help conserve the environment especially for a rapidly growing city like Kigali. “The formation of an eco-park in Kigali was necessary due to the rapid development,” Egide Nkuranga, an environmentalist, told The New Times. He added that in addition to educating people about conserving nature, the park would also be a welcome addition to the sustainable tourism offers that the City of Kigali presents. “Ecotourism involves responsible traveling to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the wellbeing of the local people,” Nkuranga said, pointing out that Kigali’s adoption of ecotourism is more proof that the government’s policy of environmental conservation is working. “Most developed cities in the world have adopted ecotourism, this shows how our country has evolved both in the tourism sector and environmental conservation,” he said. Once operational, the park is also expected to boost the incomes of people who live around the park. Both the Rwanda Development Board, which oversees tourism, and the City of Kigali declined to comment on the park until it is officially launched. The Nyandungu Park is part of a growing list of recreational facilities in Kigali that are set to transform city life. Once it opens, the public will enjoy the network of paths to walk and ride bicycles on, boardwalks and bridges in marshy areas, nature viewing areas, bird hides, trails, restaurants and picnic areas. The Park will also be connected to Wi-Fi and CCTV to ensure the security of visitors. And for REMA, in addition to Nyandungu, there are other wetlands in the city that will be restored. “The wetlands restoration project will not stop on Nyandungu Park. We will further progress to other wetlands as well,” said Kabera, REMA’s Director-General. The contractors behind the project include Afrilandscapes Ltd Gasabo 3D Design Ltd (G3D), and ASTRIK International Ltd.
