KIGALI - Kigali City Council (KCC) has agreed to pay Rwf 52.5m for 15 vulnerable families resettled in Batsinda Village, Kinyinya sector in Gasabo district who cannot service their loans acquired in 2008 to build their new homes.

City Mayor, Aisa Kirabo Kacyira, revealed this yesterday during a visit to the area to officially open a training facility for residents under the Agaseke Cooperative Society.

"After a thorough assessment, we established that these 15 families cannot afford to service the loans and we have decided to meet all their resettlement costs,” Kirabo said.
 The families are among the 126 expropriated from lower Kiyovu, Nyarugenge District, which is now part of the Central Business District.

The Social Security Fund of Rwanda (SSFR) built 250 houses in the area to the tune of Rwf 850m.

The houses were to also supposed to accommodate soldiers, teachers, local defence officers, Genocide survivors and demobilized soldiers at the cost of Rwf 8m per house.

At the time, Kigali City agreed to cover Rwf 4.5m for each house while the family was suppose to pay the balance within 10 years. However, it was discovered that 15 families could not afford the amount.

Kirabo also revealed that another Rwf 12.6m for families expropriated from Kiyovu to set up income generating activities has also been made available at the sector.
"This financial support should help you in your developmental activities,” Kirabo said urging them all to join cooperative societies.

This financial support, from KCC is part of Rwf 500,000 the city had pledged for each family. Kirabo also promised the residents to help them acquire two buildings in the area belonging to RECO/RWASCO and a Tele-centre.

The residents had petitioned the mayor that they had no facilities from where to operate their projects.

KCC will also financially support various projects for Batsinda and Mirama Villages worth Rwf 38m. The projects include agriculture and handcrafts.

Ends