Editor, RE: “The perils of house hunting in Kigali” (The New Times, August 28). After living in Kigali for a few months, I am unable to understand if Rwandans really do not have the expertise to develop good neighborhoods by constructing affordable flats and apartments. Why all these dramatic and ugly gigantic 7-bed-roomed houses sprouting all over the city? What a waste of resources putting up a structure for just a single family in a space that can accommodate an affordable apartment block with six to eight households? Local developers need to learn from Nairobi, where construction of numerous affordable flats and apartments ensures that many people with a modest income can find decent housing. And, why have developers in the city stripped the city bare of all trees, green spaces and vegetation? Are you unaware of the consequences? Can’t you even feel the change in the micro-climate with baking heat and dust storms on the rise? Two years ago, Kigali looked like a town in woods, now most of its hills are brown and bare. And then there is the problem of slums, which is always a challenge for developing countries. There is need to act now to ensure Kigali remains clean and green.
