KIGALI - Over 370 hectares of land acquired by real estate developers in various parts of Kigali City has not been utilized, despite a six-month deadline issued by the City Council

In an interview, Bruno Rangira, the Kigali City Director of Media and Communication said that the biggest chunk of undeveloped land is owned by the Social Security Fund of Rwanda (SSFR) and the Housing Bank of Rwanda (HBR).

SSFR has over 150 hectares in Kagugu, Gacuriro (Gasabo District) and Lower Kiyovu in Nyarugenge District.
According to Rangira, HBR owns about 100 hectares in Kinyinya, 50 and 15 hectares in Rusororo and Gacuriro respectively, both in Gasabo District.

Others are in Kagarama in Kicukiro District and Akumunigo, Nyamirambo in Nyarugenge District where low-cost residential housing units are expected to be constructed.
The yet-to-be developed land is part of the over 1,000 hectares that was given to investors in 2008.

As a result, Kigali city, in June last year, halted the expropriation exercise in the city until the land is developed.

"This directive still stands. There will be no more expropriation until this land is exploited,” Rangira said, adding that only those who will be affected as a result of the ongoing road construction in the city will be expropriated.

Rangira, however, said that there are still big chunks of land owned by the government in Kigali City which should also be developed.

Among these are the current traffic police premises, former Ministry of Foreign Affairs which currently hosts the city headquarters, former headquarters of the office of tourism (ORTPN) and land in Upper Kiyovu, all in Nyarugenge District.

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