The CITY of Kigali has resolved to take its master plan to the countryside to enlighten the public about the document, authorities said yesterday.

Monique Mukaruliza, the mayor of the City of Kigali, said there is an information gap that results into unnecessary squabbles as the public often does not understand city policies and their objectives.

Mukaruliza was speaking during a breakfast meeting bringing together city leadership, editors, bloggers and micro-bloggers, to talk about various development initiatives being implemented in the city.

Among other things pertaining to the master plan, discussions at some point focused on the car-free zone policy implemented last year in a section of Central Business District.

Mukaruliza said: "I want to assure you that we are going to the villages to give details on the master plan. And the car free zone will not only be set in that area alone. There are other zones in the city that will eventually become car-free.

"From what we have observed in other cities in other countries, it is in the car-free zones that economic activities thrive. We conducted a survey, and found that people operating from that area wish we could fast-track the process of setting up enterprises that would attract more activity. We are working on that.”

The mayor explained that all would be well if everything was put in place to attract more business activity in the car-free zone, adding that the plan is being given utmost attention so that the car-free zone becomes as attractive and lucrative as is the case in other countries where the idea was borrowed from.

The master plan was approved in 2013 and, although City authorities claim that people were adequately consulted before implementation begun, public views against related initiatives often manifest.

Participants at the meeting noted that resentment toward city policies is a sign that more sensitisation and consultation are essential.

Jean de Dieu Cyuzuzo Samba, a journalist with an online news outlet, said the biggest problem is due to the fact that many city dwellers do not really own and understand the master plan.

Thursday’s session is one of the platforms put in place by City authorities to engage different residents on development initiatives in the city.

The first such session was held two years ago and, City authorities now plan to hold two such sessions annually.

Participants agreed that such meetings are valuable.

Regarding the issues cropping up from the City Master Plan, for example, Stephen Rwamurangwa, the mayor of Gasabo District, acknowledged that there is always going to be some kind of antagonism between land ownership and land use but it is better to have a plan than none at all.

Rwamurangwa said: "Now that we have a plan, which might have gaps here and there, the situation is totally different from what it was when there was no master plan at all.”

The best solution to any issues that might crop up, the mayor added, is for the public to engage authorities for clarifications.

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