Council members of the City of Kigali (CoK) council have been advised to be more proactive in helping city dwellers and investors understand the master plan to ensure that its implementation is easier and successful.

The call was made yesterday by CoK officials during a one-day training that brought together members of the city council in Kigali.

Athanase Rutabingwa, the president Kigali City Council, said members, especially the newly-elected ones, needed training to understand the city master plan.

"Members of the council need to be aware of what is designed for which area and help dwellers understand its implementation,” he said.

He added that there was need for such training to be taken down to local leaders and engineers for better understanding and implementation.

"They should know their responsibilities so as to help potential investors,” he said.

Rutabingwa added that the private sector and all other stakeholders should also be involved in the process so that Kigali master plan is successfully implemented.

The master plan was conceived in 2007 but its implementation started in 2013. It has three phases and is expected to be completed in 2040 according to officials.

The first phase, slated to be completed next year, is in the process and it has been complemented 60 per cent, officials noted.

About the master plan

The master plan is a comprehensive long-term plan intended to guide growth and development of an area.

It translates broad long-term strategies into detailed land use and zoning plans to guide the area’s development.

Kigali master plan includes detailed district plans for Nyarugenge, Gasabo and Kicukiro districts.

It was approved by the City Council and shows urban areas; high, medium and low density, industrial, civic and resort, existing and proposed roads, lakes, rivers and airport, among others.

In 2011, the law governing human habitation in the country was gazetted. It governs occupation and construction on lands reserved for human habitation and requires minimum infrastructure provision.

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