City commits over 80% of budget to development

KIGALI - The City of Kigali 2011/12 budget was on Monday approved with an increment from last year’s Rwf 37.4 billion to Rwf 39.8 billion. The budget will centre on infrastructure and housing development, social development, education and enhance revenue mobilisation. “We have a target of collecting internal revenues to the tune of Rwf 8.2 billion compared to the Rwf 6.2 billion we collected last year, and I am optimistic that we shall achieve this goal,” the City Mayor, Fidele Ndayisaba, said. Rwf 31.1 billion (over 80 percent) will be spent on various developmental activities, mainly infrastructural development. Some of the earmarked activities include construction of 24.5 km asphalt roads within the city, construction of three overhead foot bridges around the main city round-about, Kimihurura and Remera. The development budget will also cater for the illumination of urban roads and traffic control system where a distance of 27 km will be installed with street lights across the city. Other key activities to be carried out include development of district physical plans, master plan implementation, housing and development and enhancing service delivery through the client charter. The budget will also focus on improving the health sector in the city where four health centres will be constructed in Kanyinya, Remera, Mageragere and Gatenga sectors. Christopher Muzungu, a resident of Jali sector in Nyarugenge advised the city leadership to encourage residents in rural parts of the city to embark on extensive modern farming to increase production because food prices increase often. Clementine Umuhoza from Kabuga said: “The management of the city of Kigali should put in place mechanisms to avoid misuse of this budget and to also sensitise the local authorities and residents to maintain public infrastructure because this is expensive to construct”. “This budget is very important because I think it will add more value to our buildings by having better roads and public lights,” said Alfred Mupenzi from Nyarugenge sector. Ndayisaba told The New Times that one of the city’s priorities is to ensure that the budget is utilised effectively and efficiently. Ends

National

City commits over 80% of budget to development