Nyamirambo: Place where money never sleeps

Whoever said that Kigali life is expensive forgot to exclude Nyamirambo. And whoever said that Kigali nights are dull, possibly forgot about this suburb. Nyamirambo is located in Kigali’s suburbs and is a five-minute drive from the city centre. Public transport is funky and swift in the graffiti painted taxis that play heavy hip-hop music (it is customary). Nyamirambo is believed to be Kigali’s busiest suburb—a place where money ever sleeps. Business owners say it is easy to make money in this neighbourhood. Businesses run 24 hours due to the high demand for goods and services from residents. “I have more clients here than I used to when I worked in Gikondo, or Remera; business is great!” says J. Elias, a Video Library owner working next to the Nyamirambo Mosque. And as much as it is easy to make money, it is also easier to save it in Nyamirambo—everything comes cheap. Moise Kalimba, lives in Biryogo, the prominent quarter of Nyamirambo. He is a self-sponsored student at Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) and a part-time worker at Urwego Bank. He says, he spends less money on food and manages to save for his tuition and rent—thanks to the cheap rent charges. “Even in broke times, I never go hungry. I can still buy a plate of food at Rwf500,” he says. Living in Nyamirambo is not only cheaper but also easy to access anything, at anytime. “I can buy supper anytime,” Kalimba adds, “I can also go for the sauna or to shave even past midnight if have a long day.” Nyamirambo is also famous for its hangout spots ranging from the famous Kigali Regional stadium, Cinestar cinema, and several gyms which allow people to spend their hard earned money. In Nyamirambo, nightlife unfolds with more fun at the bars that usually have a cocktail of karaoke shows. Folks party till dawn, even ahead of working days. Besides the partying, residents of this suburb can easily access other basic social services. The public hospital, Central Hospital of Kigali (CHK) is just at the doorstep of the surburb. And did you ever wonder why churches like St. Ethiene have most of their members as residents of Nyamirambo? It is a place of convenience, where people who want to earn easily, save and have fun with your money are found. Ends