Vending has been cited among the major factors affecting hygiene in the City of Kigali, according to Mayor Fidèle Ndayisaba.

The mayor was, yesterday, speaking at a meeting that brought together various government officials to discuss hygiene and security within issues in the city.

"We have been working hard to address the problem of street vending but still we have a long way to go,” Ndayisaba said.

"We came up with different measures, including the kora wigire initiative where we provide groups of street vendors with start-up capital and six-month free stalls. Currently, more than Rwf668 million has been invested in the initiative, but the number of street vendors keeps growing, hence the need for more measures.”

Contain littering

People littering leftovers around the streets instead of dumping them into rubbish bins placed at strategic locations around the city were also blamed for undermining hygiene.

Other concerns cited as affecting hygiene are lack of a recycling plant at Nduba dumping site in Gasabo District, lack of central sewage system, among other factors.

Francis Kaboneka, the minister for local government, urged the City of Kigali to get rid of slums, saying they undermine the city’s development agenda.

"In many city suburbs nowadays, slums are mushrooming, which derails hygiene initiatives. This is an issue that requires our joint efforts since we cannot talk of a clean city when slums are developing by the day, contrary to the provisions of the city master plan,” Kaboneka said.

The Inspector General of Police, Emmanuel Gasana, said the public needs to understand the importance of hygiene and security to development.

"Rwanda is renowned worldwide for hygiene and security. We cannot allow street vendors and unorganised settlements,” Gasana said.

The meeting was jointly organised by the City of Kigali in conjunction with various government ministries and the Rwanda National Police.