Works to execute the stalled Rwf65 billion Base-Kidaho Road project will start by the end of September this year, according to Emile Patrick Baganizi, the Deputy Director General of Rwanda Transport Development Agency (RTDA).

He confirmed this on Thursday, September 8 as the agency appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) as part of the ongoing public hearings related to the findings contained in the Auditor General’s report of 2020/21.

Located in Northern Province, the 63-kilometre road connects the districts of Rulindo and Burera.

The is expected to facilitate tourism and boost economic growth as it will connect the emerging touristic area of Burera, Ruhondo lakes and key infrastructure like the University of Global Health Equity, the Cancer referral hospital of Butaro, as well as link the country to Uganda through Cyanika border.

The agreement to construct the road was signed in 2018 but the project stalled for four years due to different constraints and disagreement with previous financier according to RTDA officials.

However, the Government of Rwanda has got another financier to implement the project after a disagreement with the previous one over conditions to source almost all construction materials from outside the country that were readily available locally like citing sand and cement.

"We have secured the contractor and we are about to sign the contract. The construction works will start before the end of this month,” Baganizi said.

Officials from the Ministry of Infrastructure (MININFRA) and the agency recently conducted a site visit to see the progress on construction work preparations, The New Times has learnt.

The Base-Butaro-Kidaho road is among many roads to be constructed to connect different provinces of the country.

"There is a road Nyagatare-Rukomo-Gicumbi-Base which will ease transport from East to Northern and Western provinces. The other one being constructed starts from Ngoma district through Bugesera district to Nyanze district. The other one is Huye-Kibeho-Kanyaru among others,” he said.

Seriously damaged roads to be renovated

Baganizi said that some national roads like the Muhanga-Karongi road which has been greatly affected by landslides is going to be rehabilitated.

"We have to rehabilitate this road in phases. We started from Karongi and works have reached Rambura. We have also signed a contract to rehabilitate the section from Rambura to Nyange bridge. We have also secured financiers to fund the section from Nyange bridge to Muhanga district,” he said.

Other roads that need urgent rehabilitation, he said, include the road from Rusizi to Bugarama and the road Kigali-Muhanga-Kanyaru.