There was a sigh of relief for passengers and traders on Monday as Rwamagana District officially inaugurated the new taxi-park for public use following a year of renovation works, which had made movement of people and goods difficult. The park, which was constructed in two phases through a partnership between the district and Jali Holding Company, cost Rwf679 million. It has the capacity to accommodate 40 buses with space for small scale-traders. Radjab Mbonyumuvunyi, the Mayor of Rwamagana District said: “The park is expected to ease transport for passengers in Rwamagana and other places of the country, to travel comfortably and to get quality services,” he said. Construction activities started in September 2017 and since then the park was temporary relocated. “We are relieved,” noted Emmanuel Hakizimana, a taxi-moto driver. (L-R) Provincial governor Fred Mufulukye, State Minister for Transport, Jean de Dieu Uwihanganye, and chairperson of Jali Holdings, Retired Col. Dodo Twahirwa, at the taxi park inauguration in Rwamagana. Gilbert Hatangimana, a mobile money services vendor is optimist that the number of customers seeking his services will double to 60 every day on account of increased traffic. “Now that the taxi-park is back, the number of customers will surely increase,” he said. Retired Col. Dodo Twahirwa, the Chairperson of Jali Holdings, which funded the project, appreciated residents’ patience, as the facility was completed later than people had been expecting. “We apologise to you, it took long to construct this taxi park, but this [achievement] is exciting,” he said. The new park, he said, will have more facilities and better infrastructure including free wireless internet. The third phase of the facility is expected to be executed in the next fiscal year. The activities will involve construction of a three-storey shopping mall. This will raise the cost of the park to Rwf1.3 billion. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
