Byumba town landlords commence rehabilitation

NORTHERN PROVINCE GICUMBI — Owners of commercial buildings in Byumba town have started rehabilitation works on their buildings in a move meant to adhere to the districts’ directives to give the town a new face lift. The decision to rehabilitate all residential and commercial buildings was reached in a meeting held this year at the district headquarters between Mayor Bonane Nyangezi, members of Gicumbi district Private Sector Federation (PSF), Sector executive secretaries, Sector civic leaders and district urban planning officers. During the meeting, the officer in-charge of urban and rural planning Adeline Kanyamugenge said urban plans for Byumba, Kageyo, Rukomo and Muhazi sites were complete, while that of Gatuna was underway. According to Gicumbi district urban planning officials the district urban plan at Rukomo site located along Kigali- Gatuna highway, includes a spacious parking yard for long distance transit trucks, while the adjacent Kageyo site shall comprise of 73 plots for high standing buildings and 79 for medium standing ones, including a green area and a tourist attraction site. Muhazi urban plan site will be exclusively reserved for 27 high standing commercial and residential buildings including a green area and 96 plots for tourist camping sites. The new directive to close down buildings has affected business around Byumba town. Public transport companies interviewed by The New Times, such as ONATRACOM and ATRACO complained of lack of offices to carry out their businesses. Ends