Kigali City Masterplan is still as enigmatic as ever. It has been designed and redesigned countless times. So, when the City of Kigali unveiled the definitive design last year in May, very many people were still left in the dark regarding the plan. The masterplan is supposed to define Kigali’s layout until 2050 but authorities had done little to widely publicize it until Rwanda Land Use Management Authority came to their aid by unveiling a land portal where one can get all information on a particular piece of land; whether it is mortgaged and a subject of conflict. However the city needs to walk the extra mile and try to enforce its own policies. One area that it has excelled has been keeping the city spotless and functional, but it can do more. For starters, a few years ago, in a bid to control the housing market, the city decreed that all offices should vacate residential houses. The aim was two-fold; many people in real estate had invested in office buildings but they were now lying idle for lack of occupancy. Moving offices out of residential areas would also help alleviate the housing shortage and bring rent down since organisations were prone to pay higher rent. Today, many office building owners have the City of Kigali to thank for as occupancy is excellent for some but that could be the same for others if it could enforce the no-offices-in residential-areas policy. But above all, a clear diagram of zoning in Kigali and easy access to its masterplan are necessary.
