100 firms to be evicted from Gikondo wetland

KIGALI - The government has decided to relocate close to 100 commercial entities located in Gikondo wetland to another industrial park. The Ministry of Trade and Commerce is currently carrying out valuations of the affected entities before they are moved to Nyandungu near the Free Trade Zone in Gasabo district. According to the survey carried out earlier, the firms were found to be poorly constructed and hazardous to the surrounding environment. The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Trade and Commerce, Antoine Ruvebana, disclosed that the commercial entities include 20 manufacturing industries, 13 automobile workshops, 15 construction companies and several warehouses and workshops. According to an environmental impact assessment carried out by Rwanda Environment Management Authority [REMA], the entities were wrongly positioned and were contaminating wetlands. The Director General of REMA, Rose Mukankomeje, said that once the industries are moved, water scarcity in Kigali will be minimized. “If the barriers to wetlands were removed there wouldn’t be water scarcity.” she said.She revealed that the wetlands filter, store water and prevent floods. “This was a problem of the former government, it authorized industries to operate in that area [Gikondo]”. She said that they are yet to conduct a study to provide procedure on management of the Gikondo wetland once the industries have been transferred. Ends

National

100 firms to be evicted from Gikondo wetland