Prioritise affordable housing

EASY ACCESS to housing is an important indicator of socio-economic development in any country. As Rwanda embarks on its ambitious growth blueprint, creating an environment that allows access to decent housing should be an important component of the development agenda.Indeed expectations are high as the government and development partners begin to implement the second phase of the Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS II), which is expected to deliver the country to a middle-income economy in the next five years or so. The challenge, however, is that if people, especially those in urban centres, cannot afford safe and habitable accommodation, the result will be growth of slums. It is, therefore, important that all stakeholders work overtime to ensure that Rwandans get affordable housing to strengthen the country’s march towards a middle-income economy. Among other possible remedies, the government can give more incentives to developers willing to construct estates for low- and middle-income people who cannot afford the so-called ‘affordable’ housing units in the City of Kigali which usually go for Rwf70 million and above. How can a person who earns Rwf200, 000 a month buy a house of Rwf70 million, when even mortgages are so expensive. Members of Parliament should do better than scratch their heads trying to solve this puzzle by enacting laws that promote investment in real estate to serve the various market segments. The legal framework could also compel the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB) to construct low cost housing units for its contributors. It is ironical that people whose money is used to construct estates cannot affordable the same housing units as RSSB prefers the high-end market. Access to safe, decent housing is a human rights issue. Time to act is now.

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Prioritise affordable housing