New construction guidelines in offing

New construction guidelines are expected to be released by June 2013 in accordance with the national urbanisation plan.This was said by the Director General of Rwanda Housing Authority (RHA), Esther Mutamba, during a meeting in Kigali yesterday that brought together officials from the private and public sectors.It sought to review recommendations made during a recent national urban forum.“Before we implement urbanisation codes and guidelines, we must involve everybody, otherwise the plans will fail. We are all working closely to ensure that the urbanisation of Rwanda is sustainable and takes into consideration the environment and societal setups,” Mutamba said.“By the end of this year, we will have a draft copy of the codes containing all the recommendations and feedback from representatives in all sectors. Next year, we shall then launch the final copy of the code that will be adhered to by all construction projects,” she said.When finally available, the codes will provide neighbourhood layout plans and basic infrastructure plans for schools, recreational facilities and sewerage systems.“We want to develop a practical mechanism to enforce regulations of urban planning in accordance with laws and master plans to avoid poor settlements in the town peripheries,” Mutamba added.The codes are also designed to improve the transport system, which among other things, ensures that commuters have a variety of choices, cycling, walking or using a motorcycle.To achieve this, it was recommended at the meeting that wider roads in the outskirts of Kigali be created to allow smooth traffic flow.

National

New construction guidelines in offing