The phasing out of the Nyanza land refill and studies for a new one will cost an estimated $3 million.

According to a report by the Consolidated Waste Management Project in Rwanda, the budget is expected to run from June 2009 to June 2012. The project is being executed by Kigali City Council (KCC) and the Ministry of Infrastructure.

The bigger bulk of the money, totalling to US$2.5 million comes from the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP) while $500,000 will come from ‘One Fund.’

One Fund falls under the ‘One UN’ which was established to enable the UN system to provide a more effective and coherent response to the needs of the Government of Rwanda and its Development Partners.

The funds also cover the feasibility study to determine whether the ‘Fukuoka’ method can be applied to the Kigali Landfill facility. The study was carried out by Fukuoka University to check its adaptability to the Nyanza land refill or to a yet-to-be constructed new one.

A team from the university visited Kigali City between July 26 and August 6 last year and the first version of the renovation proposal was submitted.

"60 percent of the contract fee to Fukuoka University was paid and the project was conducted on time, but a method selection for a new landfill site is yet to be made,” the report says.

The funds will also support IRST, the scientific  research institute, on technology development to produce high quality briquettes from organic waste and also in the construction or improvement of the Kigali Landfill facility based on recommendations by Fukuoka University.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has already been drafted between Kigali City and IRST and is awaiting signatures.

KCC is currently facing challenges where various waste management activities related to waste collection, waste selection and recycling, and waste dumping, are being conducted by various groups without any harmonized institutional framework.

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