The City of Kigali plans to construct 10,000 affordable houses in the next five years as a way of upgrading unplanned settlement spots and helping low-income earners and vulnerable households to get decent housing. Over 61 percent of Kigali’s residents in unplanned settlements need to have decent housing. This percentage is expected to be reduced to 20 per cent in 2035. ALSO READ: Govt issues new guidelines to reduce informal settlements Samuel Dusengiyumva, the City of Kigali Mayor, told journalists in a press conference on September 3, that the rehousing model will be the main driver of accelerating affordable housing. The model involves the contribution of land from residents, on which the dwelling units are built so they get decent houses but also accommodate more families on the same land. ALSO READ: Inside new model to upgrade informal settlements The zones will also be upgraded to have improved access to roads, water and power supply, sanitation and proper waste management facilities. Dusengiyumva cited Mpazi rehousing model that was implemented in Gitegera Sector, Nyarugenge District, explaining that there is need for different housing models including the rehousing model to boost affordable housing. ALSO READ: Mpazi high-risk residents to move into upgraded homes “We started with 1,000 decent houses under the model and we want 10,000 houses in the next five years using such a model. This will facilitate low-income earners and vulnerable people to get decent houses. The model uses locally sourced construction materials,” he said. The mayor urged investors to help scale up such housing models across the city. “We want the private sector to get more involved. It is a viable business for investors given that there is a need for Rwf700 million to construct a building with 54 housing units excluding the land,” he said. Investors are urged to embrace technologies that can be used to construct houses that are also affordable to low-income earners. According to data from The National Institute of Statistics, around 54 per cent of city inhabitants are low-income people who earn between $38.0 and $225 per month. Around 13 per cent of them earn less than $38 per month. The middle-income group represents 21 per cent of inhabitants whose monthly incomes range between $225 and $678. Generally, the Mayor said, the housing market has largely targeted high-income households, which represent less than 12 per cent of all urban dwellers. ALSO READ: Kigali City banks on ‘rehousing model’ to reduce unplanned settlements The City of Kigali is considering scaling up the rehousing model to upgrade informal settlements in the capital in areas with the highest number of unplanned settlements. The City of Kigali has also been analyzing “the area of Gatsata and one neighborhood of Muhima” where the upgrading model could be replicated. Gatsata sector is located in Gasabo District while Muhima is located in Nyarugenge District. ALSO READ: 10 major changes in the new Kigali master plan The city seeks to have 90 per cent of citizens in Kigali having access to decent housing by 2050 whereby even those who rent can do so at affordable prices depending on their financial capacity. At least 60 per cent of the decent housing will have to be affordable.
