The Lower Chamber of Parliament has asked the government to speed up the implementation of stalled projects in order to help speed up economic recovery. They made the call on May 4, as the plenary sitting adopted the report of the Committee on National Budget and Patrimony. The Committee’s report centred on how the government executed the 2020/2021 budget. In addition to low levels of budget execution, the report highlighted stalled projects. The MPs committed to follow up on stalled projects and ensure they are prioritised in the national budget for the 2021/2022 fiscal year. As of March 2021, the Rwf3,464.8 billion budget had been executed at 59.4 per cent. This in part demonstrates that various activities, including development projects, have stalled. Here are some of the four major stalled projects: 1. Kigali Centralised Sewage System The project was estimated to cost over Rwf83 billion. The project has delayed owing to the lack of competent bidders, the MPs said, citing information from Water and Sanitation Corporation Ltd (WASAC). Earlier, it was reported that the project would begin in June 2019 and was scheduled to be carried out in four years with the completion date set for 2022. However, WASAC now says that the project is expected to be completed in March 2024. It involves construction of sewer tertiary, secondary and primary sewer networks of 89 kilometres and wastewater treatment plant in Nyarugenge District. The first phase of the project will cover the Central Business District (CBD), Muhima and Kiyovu. The wastewater treatment plant will have the capacity to treat liquid wastes estimated at 12,000 cubic metres per day. The central sewer is expected to address threats to public health, partly caused by untreated dirt seeping into water systems. It is in line with the Government’s ambitious target to reach 100 per cent access to sanitation services among households by 2024. 2. Expansion of Nyagatare-Tabagwe-Karama road The funding for this road in Nyagatare District was Rwf350 million in the fiscal year 2020/2021. MPs said that the approval of the feasibility study for the road by Rwanda Transport Development Agency (RTDA) was delayed. 3. Base-Butaro-Kidaho road The tender for the construction of the Rwf84 billion road was cancelled. Located in Northern Province, the 63-kilometre road would connect the districts of Rulindo and Burera, thus facilitating tourism and boosting economic activity. While responding to senators’ queries related to malpractices in expropriation last month, the Minister of Infrastructure, Claver Gatete said that the road would be constructed thanks to funding from India Exim Bank. Under the funding arrangement, he said, the financing was “a tied aid” because it had a condition that most of the road construction materials – about 65 to 70 per cent – would come from India. Going forward, the Minister said that the Government was looking for financing from the African Development Bank. 4. Gisozi-Karuruma road project The Gisozi-Karuruma road was started four years ago but has not been completed because of the delays in the construction of a bridge—one of its components. The bridge was allocated Rwf1.2 billion, but MPs revealed that the City of Kigali said its feasibility study was delayed, and the available funding was not enough because it needs more than Rwf4.2 billion. The road will enable traffic to and from Gicumbi District without having to pass through the already congested Nyabugogo area. 5. Kadasomwa-ADEPR road in Rusizi District MPs said that this road in Rusizi District is worth over Rwf1 billion, but available documentation shows that it was removed from the revised budget consideration. MPs fault poor planning for major stalled projects MP Veneranda Nyirahirwa said that poor planning should be addressed if effective budget and project execution is to be achieved. “When you have little resources but don’t use them efficiently to implement intended projects, it is denying some benefits to the citizens,” she said. For MP Jean-Pierre Hindura, poor planning was one of the major challenges to budget execution. “Some stalled projects have increased the cost of their implementation,” he said. He recommended that individuals and organisation that make project studies which lead to loss of public funds must be held accountable.
