Property and environmental experts are finalising a feasibility study for a proposed green model city in Kinyinya Sector of Gasabo District accelerating the country’s efforts to protect the environment while settling people in safe places.
The Government has secured 620 hectares in Kinyinya where it plans to establish a low carbon and climate resilient city as cost effective ways to reduce the impact of climate change and natural disasters on urban areas.
The idea will also be adopted in the process of developing secondary cities under the National Road Map for Green City Development Policy.
The project brings together efforts from various institutions such as the Ministry of Environment and Rwanda Environment Management Authority, Ministry of Infrastructure, and City of Kigali, Rwanda Social Security Board, while Rwanda Green Fund (FONERWA) leads the implementation with the support from Germany and Green Growth Institute.
Coletha Ruhamya, the Director General of Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), told The New Times that the project will focus on infrastructures capable of controlling pollution of the environment.
"Experts are conducting a feasibility study. The green aspects can include natural light integration into housing, renewable energy such as solar energy, rainwater harvesting, waste water management, recycling and reuse of water and promoting non-motorized transport among others.” she said.
They also include waste management whereby they have to be turned into other revenues. Really we need to apply all clean technologies in the cities in line with Rwanda Long-term Green Growth Strategy, she noted.
The feasibility study will uncover electric mobility policy options such as electric cars and bicycles.
According to Hubert Ruzibiza, the CEO of FONERWA, the project will promote affordable housing with innovative financial and loan tools, including rent-to-own options with different housing typologies to be used.
Rent-to-own, also known as rental-purchase, is a type of legally documented transaction under which tangible property is leased in exchange for a weekly or monthly payment, with the option to purchase at some point during the agreement.
Ruzibiza said the study aims to lay groundwork for private sector investments to flourish.
"We have procured a firm to carry out the feasibility studies and are at the inception phase. We shall have the urban planning scheme, cost model as well as a midterm feasibility report in April 2019, the design competition in June and a final feasibility report in November 2019,” he said.
He said the pilot project is one of the flagship projects of the country’s national transformational strategy seeking to deliver green growth and sustainable urbanisation.
Currently two projects – Cactus Green Park, a 410 housing unit project being developed by Horizon Ltd, and Rwanda Social Security Board affordable housing scheme – are being implemented on the land.
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