The government has begun expropriations exercise in Kimicanga in Kimihurura Sector, Gasabo District to pave way for the implementation of the Kigali City Master Plan.

In a telephone interview with The New Times, yesterday, Mayor Willy Ndizeye confirmed that close to 200 families had so far been compensated and expropriated.

"We have already spent over Rwf 1 billion on the expropriation from the first site, we are now evaluating the second site. But it is not possible to ascertain the exact cost of the whole] exercise now,” said the Mayor.

Alphonse Nizeyimana, Kigali City Vice Mayor in charge of Finance and Economic Development, recently told The New Times that the expropriations would affect families of Kamukina Cell, mainly in the four community settlements of Urumuri, Isano, Inyamibwa and Isangano.

He added that the whole exercise would cost up to Rwf2.5 billion.

The compensation funds will be provided by the Ministry of Finance, through Rwanda Housing Authority (RHA), and are already catered for in the 2011/12 fiscal year.

The Kimicanga expropriation was initially scheduled to be completed by the end of this year, but Ndizeye said that it would not be possible.

"We might not meet the December 31 deadline because there are some disputes that arise in the process which we have to iron out first. That is likely to prolong the process,” he added.

Kimicanga, according to the master plan, will accommodate commercial and residential facilities as well as a recreational centre, among others.

Kigali city plans to construct up to 103 kilometres of new roads to a tune of about Rwf50 billion, with 46 kilometres already constructed.

Ndizeye also said that the district identified sites where those expropriated can be resettled.

"We have some resettlement areas we prepared, but, of course, they are not obliged to go there. Whoever wants to go and settle in those prepared areas can go.

Some of the identified sites are in the sectors of Gisozi, Gatsata, Jabana, Nduba and Bumbogo.

Ndizeye also said that the expropriation exercise in Kacyiru and Bumbogo was completed.

The Kacyiru land, which is located behind the Ministry of Education at a place known as Kabagari, is slated to, among others, accommodate the embassies of Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

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