The City of Kigali has outlined top 10 investment opportunities for the Private Sector Federation. The opportunities were presented on April 1 during discussions about partnership in boosting the capital’s development. Affordable housing Jean Rubangutsangabo, the urban economist said that there is a need for affordable houses for dwellers who earn less than Rwf100,000 per month considering that the existing affordable projects were targeting those who earn more. He said that 859,000 l new dwelling units are required by 2050 meaning 27,000 units every year in Kigali city. City of Kigali has outlined top 10 investment opportunities for Private Sector Federation during COK-PSF dialogues on Friday Aprill1 Currently only 1,000 units are availed every year. Informal settlements Emmy Ngabonziza, District Executive Administrator of Nyarugenge said that there are investment opportunities in upgrading informal settlements to get affordable and decent houses in the city. “Over 60 percent of the population in Kigali are young and they need decent housing yet only 1,000 new decent units are available every year in the capital. This is a huge investment opportunity,” he said. He said there is one model to build decent houses by upgrading the existing informal settlement which has already been implemented along Mpazi drainage in Nyarugenge district. This involves contribution of land from the residents on which the housing blocks are built for them meaning that residents are not relocated but rehoused. “In the beginning we built one house with 10 units for 10 families to show investors how they can make profits if they do the same. It was built on small land that used to be owned by three families who contributed the land. Mayor Rubingisa urged the private sector to work with the city to develop urban tourism.Courtesy These three families got shelter in the 10-units houses and we brought seven more families. If it was an investor who did so they could sell those seven units,” he said. He said that such a 10-unit housing complex cost Rwf100 million. “We have built a new one with 27 units to house 27 families. Of these 11 families are the ones who contributed land on which the Rwf 250 million house was built while 16 families are new on the same size of land. This is a model investors can use to make profits,” he noted adding the construction materials were sourced locally. So far the city says such a model is needed in Muhima sector, Gatsata, Kimihurura, Nyarutarama among others across the city. Wetlands Kigali accommodates 7,766 hectares comprising wetlands. Out of this, 18 percent are for rehabilitation, 28 percent for sustainable exploitation, and 50 percent for conservation. City of Kigali officials, on Friday, said that 2,195 hectares of wetlands that are for sustainable exploitation provides green light for agriculture activities, mining, forest, horticulture, temporary kiosks, gardens, playgrounds, infrastructure, public facilities and others. Affordable housing has opportunities for Investors in Kigali Pudence Rubingisa, The city mayor said, “ There is a need for working with private sector, cooperatives and the ministry of agriculture to make use of the wetlands for vegetable and fruits production.” “We should set a target in the next season because the vegetables can satisfy the citys demand.” He said. Urban tourism Kigali city wetland master plan shows that 277 hectares or four percent of total, 766 hectares of wetlands are set aside for recreational purposes. Mayor Rubingisa urged the private sector to work with the city to develop urban tourism, open spaces and parks, artificial water bodies among others that create urban eco-tourism. “We have places like Umusambi village, Nyandungu eco-tourism Park and more can be created for promoting tourism to generate money,” he said. Umusambi Village is a new sanctuary for crowned crane birds that can no longer fly, a reserve to all crane birds confiscated from private homes. The newly created Nyandungu eco-tourism park yet to be launched is nestled in the valley between Kimironko and Masoro-Bumbogo hill in Ndera sector, separating the districts of Gasabo and Kicukiro. The park with natural forests, 70 bird species, Papal Garden, medicinal garden, ponds among others sits on 120 hectares. Model green city project According to Solange Muhirwa, The Chief Urban planner there is a lack of locally made construction materials for green city project. The green city will sit on 620 hectares in Kinyinya Sector, Gasabo District complete with a system that prevents environmental degradation and air pollution at between $4 billion and $5 billion cost. She said they will start with a pilot project on 18 hectares with affordable houses. “We recently held a meeting to discuss the project implementation. However we have realized that there are no enough construction materials from the local market which the project recommends. We should set up factories to supply materials for implementing the city master plan, including the green city in Kinyinya,” she said. The most needed materials include bricks, yet only one factory produces standard bricks, she said. “The factory can’t satisfy all projects as it is overloaded,” she said. She said due to delay in construction materials, some affordable housing projects have been delayed. “Investors have opportunities to invest in supplying the needed construction materials,” she said. Waste management According to the city of Kigali, there is a need for waste valorization and recycling of waste. Studies show that 70 percent of waste in Kigali is organic that should be turned into fertilizers while the rest are e-waste and plastic waste that are recyclable. According to estimates, waste dumped at landfill sites in the City of Kigali has increased threefold from 141.38 tonnes every day in 2006 to 495.76 but it has been difficult to sort them out at the landfill for better utilization. According to 10-year climate plan from 2021 to 2030, Rwanda also plans to invest $28 million in extraction and utilisation of gas landfills (LFG) for power generation which will then reduce methane gas emissions in the air. Instead of releasing them into the air, landfill gases can be captured, converted, and used as a renewable energy resource. The country also seeks to invest $8 million in setting up Waste-to-energy (WtE) plants. CHOGM Rubangutsa said that there is a need for offering more choices to guests and motivate them to stay overnight during CHOGM. The business opportunities available during the summit, he said, include night clubs, restaurants and bars, Car free Zones, Concerts venues, night walk tour, night photography, night dance and cultural concert in Imbuga City walk, night market shopping, Kigali night run, star gazing, music exhibition, cinemas, fashion exhibition and others.
