Kigali City Council is adding new bypass roads around the Kigali Convention Centre area in Kimihurura as completion of the complex approaches.

At least 2-kilometre roads extension will be completed by the end of February, according to city enginers, in a bid to provide accessibility to the convention hall set to be operational by April.

Meanwhile city authorities have dismissed claims that there will be a new ‘Car Free Zone’ adjacent to the roundabout next to the Convention Centre in Kimihurura, saying instead that the duel carriage ways from the Ministry of Justice to KBC will be only used by vehicles going or coming from the centre.

While the city has already finished the contour connecting Rugando and Lemigo, another two carriage tarmac road is being constructed and will link Aigle Blanc complex (also known as Kwa Polisi Denis), building opposite the Ministry of Justice, and the Chinese Restaurant near Bank of Kigali, Kacyiru branch.

The construction is estimated to cost around $2 million (Rwf1.4 billion) and should be completed by March.

Speaking to The New Times last week, Dr Alphonse Nkurunziza, the City Council engineer, said a series of additional roads that are under construction will be used to access the convention centre.

According to Nkurunziza, two more small roundabouts will be built to help decongest traffic as a result of people commuting from the city centre and Kacyiru.

"It should be understood that whatever is being done is part of the implementation of the Kigali City Master Plan and these roads will help us in other projects such as the Bus Rapid Transit,” he added.

At least 29 properties have been expropriated by Rwanda Transport and Development Agency (RTDA) as a result.

Expropriation law states that subsequent to receiving compensation, those expropriated cannot exceed 90 days before vacating the premises to be used for development projects, a process the city says was observed accordingly.

The 2-kilometres strip passages are not part of the 54 kilometre lane expansion to be constructed from Giporoso – Rwandex and Nyabugogo- Muhima –CBD.

However the highly anticipated four-lane roadway linking Kicukiro to Nyarugenge District might take long to materialise with the city citing financial constraints.

Although the government has turned to Chinese development banks to finance the project, city authorities earlier said the European Investment Bank was being engaged to finance the roads and other key infrastructure projects like water canals, side-walks and street lights.

The conceptual master plan, adopted by Parliament back in 2008, covers three districts that make up the city with Nyarugenge being the financial hub, Kicukiro the knowledge hub, and Gasabo envisioned to be the employment and cultural centre.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw