Citizens call for speedy repair of damaged roads that link Kigali City to provinces

Calls have been made for the speedy repair of a number of major roads that link Kigali City to the Provinces, that were damaged by the recent heavy downpours.

The roads are an important lifeline for Kigali City; used to bring in food products for its markets and building materials extracted from the provinces to be used for construction, but for some of the most damaged, like this one linking Kicukiro District and Rwamagana; they have been literally impassable for as long as a week, which naturally has not sat well with the people who use them.

Efforts by residents to repair such roads have proved not to be a lasting solution, hence the reason they are asking Kigali City Authorities to find a better solution. 

The damaged roads have also been affecting economic activities in the Provinces they were helping to link and City Authorities say they are working on a solution and starting on Wednesday, they are going to step in to rectify the issue.

Ernest Nsabimana, Kigali City Vice Mayor said: "While the major Project is waiting for Funds, or things have not yet been properly coordinated, if local residents decide to put in stones as a temporary measure, then we can assist with that starting tomorrow. In instances when machines can be used, trucks to carry sand instead of local residents, that can be facilitated. No one can object to local residents organizing themselves and doing something as part of Umuganda activities, that solves many problems and you know that."

The long term solution is to upgrade up to 56km of Kigali's roads network, but funds are still being sought, with one Kilometer costing slightly more than Rwf900 million.