Kicukiro District has resolved to sell off its taxi park in Gatenga Sector after months of closure.

Speaking to The New Times yesterday, Dr Jeanne Nyirahabimana, the district mayor, said the taxi park was closed because taxi operators were not using it.

"We issued a tender to see if there could be a transport company interested in using the taxi park. Kigali Bus Services took over the taxi park and withdrew a few months after. It has since then been idle, that is why the recent assembly of (the district) advisory council decided to sell it to private investors for better exploitation instead of lying idle while the district spends money on its maintenance and security,” she said.

This park could be redeveloped with activities in line with the city master plan.

However, the selling price for the park is to be set by the district’s advisory council, Dr Nyirahabimana said.

"We will seek a strategic area where a taxi park could be set up to help residents have easy mobility,” she explained.

The taxi park was constructed to serve commuters from Karembure, Nyanza, Rebero, Gahanga, Murambi and their surroundings.

According to the city transport structure, the area could be served by buses operating on the City-Nyanza–Gatenga-Rwandex (coded as 203) and City-Nyanza-Zion Temple-Rwandex (coded as 202) routes.

However, residents said the park’s location was unfit for public transport service.

Jacqueline Mujawimana, from Nyanza Cell, said the district should set up a new taxi park instead.

"Since that park was constructed, we never used it. It would be better if we got an operating tax park in this area since it is not easy for us to move. For instance, if I want to go to Bugesera, I have to take a taxi-moto to Kicukiro Centre to get a taxi to Bugesera,” she said.

Hakim Nshimiyimana, a driver of taxi minibus operating on Nyabugogo–Nyamata road, said there is a need for an operating taxi park in the area.

"We really need a taxi park in this area because sometimes when we take passengers residing in that area from Bugesera, we have to leave them in Gahanga which requires them to take a taxi-moto,” Nshimiyimana said.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw