The City of Kigali plans to spend Rwf17.6 billion in the 2013-2014 fiscal year. According to the Budget Proposal seen by this paper, the money will be generated from city revenues that make up 20 per cent (more than Rwf3 billion) of the income.

Other sources of revenue will be government, with more than Rwf10.3 billion (59 per cent), and external funding that will provide Rwf350 million, representing 2 per cent of the Budget. 

The highest percentage of this Budget (38 per cent) is allocated to the expenditure on goods and services, followed by salary expenditure with 28 per cent. 

Development projects were allocated Rwf2.4 billion (24 per cent) of the expenditure. 

The councillors are expected to pass the Budget tomorrow. 

Breakdown per district

The City and its districts budgets 2013-2014 featured among the councillors’ discussion during last weekend’s retreat in Kigali. 

Gasabo District has the highest Budget Estimate with more than Rwf15 billion, followed by Nyarugenge with Rwf11.7 billion. Kicukiro has Rwf10 billion. 

Speaking at the retreat, MP Emmanuel Mudidi urged the authorities to ensure that the expropriation of residents is catered for in their budget. 

He cited some residents of Kanyinya Sector among those who have been waiting for their land compensation. 

Nyarugenge officials said expropriation in Kanyinya was postponed because a loan they were expecting for developing projects on that land was not granted. 

"After realising that we would not purchase the land where we had moved people from, we are giving back the residents their land titles,” said Felicien Kagisha, the vice mayor in charge of economic affairs in Nyarugenge District.

Participants also raised concerns over rural urban migration, which officials warned encourages delinquency. 

"One should come into the city having a job, skills or money, otherwise they become a burden,” said the city mayor, Fidele Ndayisaba. 

However, Jonathan Nzayikorera, the in charge of fiscal decentralisation in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, said policies from the relevant ministries like rural electrification should create jobs to discourage rural-urban migration.