Across Kigali, city authorities have developed a growing network of green recreational spaces, turning once underused areas into places for public relaxation and exercise. From Kimihurura Roundabout Park to Imbuga City Walk and the Kigali Golf Running Track, the city’s effort to create accessible outdoor spaces is increasingly visible. ALSO READ: Kigali wetlands revamp to cover 58km of paths, lakes and green spaces Kimihurura Roundabout Park features walking paths, seating areas, restrooms and lighting. Imbuga City Walk, located in the central business district, is the city’s largest car-free zone, transforming a 520-metre stretch of KN4 Avenue into a public square. The Kigali Golf Running Track in Kacyiru is a 2.4-kilometre, four-metre-wide pathway designed for physical exercise. Other recreational spaces include Nyandungu Eco-Park, the Mu Marangi public space in Biryogo, Kigali Cultural Village in Rebero, the City Hall Public Garden, and the City Centre Roundabout and the Kanyinya hiking area. ALSO READ: Kigali ranked Africa’s second most popular destination for meetings For many users, the spaces offer a place to unwind. For example, Joy, a Kenyan visiting Kigali, described Nyandungu Eco-Park as a peaceful escape after work. “The first time I saw it, it felt like my place of escape,” she says. “I think it is very peaceful,” she says, reflecting on her visits. “The moment I come here I just feel like all my worries have evaporated. I come here when I am stressed after work, I walk around the track or inside the park and it just eases me.” Gabin Prince Umugaba, visiting from Huye, also praised the atmosphere. “It’s a beautiful venue, a tranquil place,” he noted. “This park is favourable specifically for people who want to relax, there is oxygen, you can hear birds sing, yeah it’s amazing.” Yasinne Gahima, a university student, said the park helps her recover from fatigue. “If I come from class and I am tired, this place helps me to rest,” she said. “I come with my friends, then we converse, and joke.” According to Emma Claudine Ntirenganya, Director General of Communication and Community Education at the City of Kigali, the city’s master plan reserves “over 20 percent of land for recreation and open spaces.” ALSO READ: How Kigali is reimagining public spaces through cycling She explained that some venues are “solely managed by the City of Kigali,” while others operate under public-private partnerships (PPPs), including Imbuga City Walk and Nyandungu Eco-Park. “The City of Kigali plans to create even more green recreational venues,” she states, in line with the city’s “Green and Clean City” vision. She added that rehabilitation works on five wetland zones: Gikondo, Rwampara, Nyabugogo, Kibumba and Rugenge-Rwintare, are currently 70 percent complete, while Mount Kigali Hiking is still in the study phase.
