US$200m city project to resume soon

NYARUGENGE - The shareholders of Downtown Ltd, the company putting up a US$200m (Rwf 117.6bn) mega commercial complex at the site of the former Kigali Central Police Station in Muhima, Nyarugenge District are scheduled to meet and discuss how to resume the project. One of the proprietors, Sekoko Hatari, told The New Times, yesterday, that he is scheduled to meet all shareholders, next week to iron out a couple of issues. “The new deadline to complete the project will be agreed upon during a meeting of shareholders. They (shareholders) had backed away after the change of the design which delayed the groundwork,” Hatari said in a telephone interview. Other shareholders include Ugandan tycoon, Sudhir Ruparelia and his wife. The project design was altered to allow the City of Kigali to construct a road connecting the city centre to the project site. According to the developers, this hampered the timely completion of the first phase of the project that would comprise an ultra-modern commuter terminal, drainage systems and roads that will also consist of flyovers connecting to the upper city centre. Launched in August last year, the first phase was scheduled for completion in November last year, however, the deadline was later extended to March 2011, but little has since been done on the site, three months past deadline. Bruno Rangira, the Director of Media and Communication at the City of Kigali, said the construction of the required roads connecting the terminal to the city centre is complete. The terminal, which can accommodate 507 cars, including 169 minibuses and 145 buses, would offer parking space to all commuter buses and taxis operating in the city centre. Set on a seven hectare piece of land, the project would also include shopping malls, apartments and hospitality facilities such as hotels, hospitals and restaurants. The project is being developed by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), the developers of various mega projects including the imposing Kigali City Tower, RAMA headquarters and ZIGAMA CSS. Ends

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US$200m city project to resume soon