Bihire before Senate over Housing Agency

The Minister for Infrastructure, Linda Bihire, yesterday appeared before the Senate to answer queries about the Law establishing the National Housing Authority (NHA). The Law also determines the NHA’s mission, organisation and functioning. Bihire told the members of the Upper Chamber that once in place, the housing authority will help the government in drawing up plans for sustainable habitation for all Rwandans. Senator Anastase Nzirasanaho asked the Minister to explain why locals had been evicted from lower Kiyovu and yet no developmental progress has been realised in that particular chunk of land two years later. “I have heard that the initial plans that the Social Security Fund had for that area have changed and yet we do not see any developments going on, can the Minister please enlighten us on that?” he asked Bihire acknowledged the Lower Kiyovu issue and informed the Senators that the process to sell the plots was preceeded by installing water and power lines. She also informed the House that so far, four large plots of land have been bought and more is expected to be sold since the Cabinet’s recent decision to standardise land prices. “The prices of land have been very high in the past and most investors were discouraged by that fact. But after the government’s decision, the prices shot down to 1500 Frw from the previous 10.000Frw per square metre,” Bihire said Senator Chrysologue Kubwimana amused the House when he appealed to the government to consider changing the names of some of Kigali suburbs saying that they were “still attached to the past”. “I am asking that the government considers changing names of areas like Gakinjiro, Mburabuturo and others whose names are still attached to Rwanda’s past. Rwanda has moved on to better times,” he said as the Senate roared with laughter. If passed, the National Housing Authority will serve as an overall project manager on behalf of the State for all projects related to housing and construction. It will also conduct regular and thorough assessment of the status of urban areas and construction in Rwanda and survey requirements for additional housing. Ends