The City of Kigali (KCC) has approved a budget of Rwf 39.6 billion for the 2012/2013 fiscal year with 88 percent of the funds being allocated to development activities.The development budget amounts to Rwf 34.6 billion with 70 percent of this reserved for infrastructural development. 59 percent of the total budget will come from the government.City officials said 40 per cent of the budget that amounts to Rwf 18 billion would come from development partners while the council would contribute 26.58 percent from its coffers. According to the Mayor, Fidele Ndayisaba, development of infrastructure, energy and water sectors would accelerate the economic development of the city."Infrastructure is the foundation of the development in the city, and we hope its prioritisation will foster economic development hence improving lives of the city dwellers,” Ndayisaba said.This year’s budget increased by 6 per cent from Rwf 37.9 billion in the previous financial year.Over US$ 3 million of the budget has also been set aside to fund the master plans of both Kicukiro and Gasabo districts to spur development and guide the development of the city in the next 20 to 30 years.Other projects to be implemented include replacing and installing more street and traffic lights.Commenting on the budget, a legislator in the lower chambers of parliament, Hon. Emmanuel Mudidi, advised city officials to always endeavour to promptly settle private services providers’ bills to curb implementation delays."Huge amounts of money remain in the city council’s accounts yet there are some private service providers the city owes money. There should be mechanisms to always settle them as early as possible,” Mudidi said.