Rwanda is set to benefit from a newly paved road leading to Kiziba Refugee Camp by completing the "Rehabilitation, Upgrading, and Maintenance of Kibuye-Kiziba Project Camp”. This 14.5km stretch connects Karongi Town to Kiziba, Rwanda’s oldest refugee camp, home to Congolese refugees.

During a recent visit to the site, made possible by China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) as part of its upcoming 50th-anniversary celebrations in Rwanda, it was clear that the road was already bringing hope and transformation to the area.

ALSO READ: CRBC’s 50-year milestone in Rwanda: Guo Meng on company’s commitment to quality, its impact

Though rough in places with major earthwork underway, the landscape changes. The road has been eagerly awaited, particularly by residents of the Rwankuba sector and the Kiziba camp community, who have long faced challenges due to its poor condition. Non-governmental organisations serving the refugee camp also struggled with limited access.

Many locals have found temporary employment through their involvement in the road works. Currently, the paved section of the road ends near Rwanda Polytechnic, IPRC Karongi. However, once completed, the road will extend from Karongi Town to connect with the Karongi-Rusizi national road, making travel smoother for both residents and businesses.

ALSO READ: Landslides: Karongi-Nyamasheke road cleared

"The old road left us isolated from nearby communities. Even though the town is relatively close, transport fares ranged from Rwf1,500 to Rwf2,000, which was quite expensive,” said Emmanuel Nsizamuhuga, a resident of Bwishyura sector.

"Now that the tarmac road is coming, the value of our land is increasing, and shopping is getting easier for small businesses that rely on town traders to restock. On top of that, electricity has just been installed from the national grid—you can see the wires in my house. They’re set to activate it any day now. We’re really happy to see things changing,” Nsizamuhuga added.

Egide Karimunda, a local trader, shared how the road’s transformation is already impacting his business: "For the past seven years, I’ve been delivering essential goods to shops inside the camp, and the rainy seasons were a nightmare. Blockages or fears of mudslides would stop us from operating altogether. But now, with the road widening since the earthwork began, travel has become easier.

ALSO READ: Govt says &039;closely monitoring mysterious landslides' in three districts

"Once the road is fully complete, I expect interactions with people from the camp to increase since they’ll be able to travel to us more easily. Another positive, though not for everyone, is the compensation for land taken for road construction—many locals earned some money from this. Karongi is a developing city, especially with Lake Kivu right next to us. I feel this area was the only one missing good roads, as the whole town is already paved and well-lit. This new road is going to be a game changer for the entire area.”

Sam Ndayishimiye, a site manager for the project at China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), pointed out that expropriation has been their biggest hurdle: "The terrain hasn’t been a problem for us; the challenges were with compensating people whose land was affected by the road construction. There were delays, but RTDA, our client, is finalising the process to ensure everyone is compensated.”

As for the broader impact of the project, Ndayishimiye added: "Traders who could only make one trip per day on the bad road can now make multiple trips, thanks to the improved safety. Ticket prices for transport have also dropped significantly. We’ve hired over 400 local workers, with around 60 per cent coming from this district. They’re gaining valuable experience in operating machinery and learning the advanced techniques we use to build a project of this scale.”

There was no chance to venture further into the camp to hear directly from the refugees about their challenges. However, one thing is clear—the road is driving significant economic progress for the surrounding communities and those who rely on it. The refugees will certainly benefit from these improvements as well.