Horizon Construction, the company which is building the Kagitumba Cross Border market, has been given a four-month deadline to complete construction works before handing it over to the government. The deadline was given on Tuesday, February 7, during a visit by the Minister for Trade and Industry, Jean-Chrysostome Ngabitsinze, to different projects in Eastern Province. Ngabitsinze visited Kagitumba Cross Border market construction site to assess the status and issues affecting the project. In December 2022, construction works were at 46 per cent and expected to be complete in February 2023. Construction started in February 2021. According to the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ngabitsinze discussed delays with Horizon, the contractor, and agreed that the facilities will be completed and handed over in four months. The operationalisation of the facilities aims at facilitating traders that use Rwanda-Uganda borders through Nyagatare District. “Cross-border markets are one of the key components of the National Cross Border Trade Strategy. This strategy, now under review, seeks to enhance the country’s cross border trade. The one of Nyagatare is to increase trade with our neighbours in the North,” he said. Gonzague Matsiko, the Vice Mayor in charge of Economic Development in Nyagatare district, said the cross border market which is expected to accommodate about 300 traders will increase the number of cross-border traders including those from Nyagatare district. “The market will also have cold rooms to safely store fresh produce for longer periods. Those crossing the border will also be buying goods from this market and thus boost trade in Nyagatare. There is also Nyagatare Export Company that is looking to operate in this market and will facilitate traders to get goods without going to other places,” he said. So far, Rwanda has constructed 10 cross-border markets. Kagitumba cross-border market was incorporated in the bigger project to construct Kagitumba- Rusumo road. The 208 kilometre road was completed at a cost of Rwf164 billion. The road project-which was meant to have construction of Cross border markets near Kagitumba and Rusumo-is expected to contribute to the development and improvement of road transportation and trade facilitation along the Northern Corridor through Mirama or Kagitumba border. It will also link the Central Corridor – the transport corridor linking Rwanda to the Indian ocean through Tanzania – using the Rusumo border while improving the national transport network from Kagitumba-Kayonza and connecting to Rusumo purposely to stimulate and support local economic activities. This project will also connect the Northern Corridor to the Central Corridor and will contribute towards the realization of socio-economic development, poverty reduction and regional integration between Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania. Proposed Nyagatare Industrial Park Ngabitsinze also visited the proposed site for the Nyagatare Industrial Park. It was agreed that a joint technical team will assess the need for land acquisition and proper zoning in order to facilitate investors that expressed interest in setting up industries within the zone, the Ministry noted. Nyagatare is one of the six secondary cities in Rwanda. It is expected to occupy 67 square kilometres according to its new master plan. The master plan shows that the district wants to be an agro processing hub, and an investor will know the area to invest their money in. It is projected that by 2050, Nyagatare will have a population of 1.4 million and 400,000 of them will be living in the city.
