Property owners near Amahoro Stadium have called for a one-year grace period after the City of Kigali (COK) ordered them to submit housing redevelopment designs within two months in accordance with the city’s master plan.

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The City’s directive, issued in an official letter, requires landowners to begin construction activities within one month of obtaining their permits.

Failure to comply, the letter warns, will trigger enforcement of the 2021 land law, which allows the government to repossess undeveloped land. A July 2024 ministerial order further stipulates that land in prime areas or areas designated for master plan implementation must be developed or risk being forfeited.

If the land remains unused, a property valuer will assess it, and the owner will be compensated, minus the cost of any previous works done.

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In response, property owners have asked for an extension to allow them time to secure financing or attract investors who can develop the land in accordance with the master plan.

Alex Ndayambaje, a property owner with both residential and commercial buildings in the area, explained his situation:

"A few years ago, I took out a Rwf5 million loan to upgrade some of my houses. We need more time to repay that loan before we can undertake new construction in line with the master plan.

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Building the recommended multi-floor apartments requires substantial resources. A grace period would give us the chance to find investors who are capable of developing the land as required.”

Similarly, Jacqueline Uwihoreye, another property owner, emphasized the need for fair compensation for those unable to fund the redevelopment themselves:

"We should be allowed to sell our properties if we can’t afford the upgrades. Alternatively, if the city applies the land law, there must be fair compensation."

Emma Claudine Ntirenganya, a spokesperson for the City of Kigali, confirmed that the city had issued notices to property owners near the Remera Sports Hub, asking them to redevelop their buildings due to the area’s classification as a "Prime Area" needing urgent attention.

She added that the redevelopment is part of the Kigali City Master Plan, which identifies the location as a "Priority Zone of Master Plan Implementation."

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The Remera Sports Hub features the newly upgraded 45,000-seat Amahoro Stadium, the 10,000-seat BK Arena, and the Petit Stade. Additionally, the area will soon include Zaria Court, an urban sports and hospitality project currently under construction.

The City of Kigali also plans to develop an aquatic centre with swimming pools and other recreational facilities.