Govt inspects new Orinfor premises

Government officials yesterday inspected the premises where the public broadcaster, Orinfor is set to be relocated.Refurbishment of the facility has reached final stages, according to the officials responsible for the works.Orinfor is scheduled to relocate to the former Kagera Basin Organisation headquarters in Kacyiru, following the sale of its current premises in downtown Kigali to Executive Investment Limited, a Kenyan real estate firm. The Kenyan firm acquired the 6,000 square-metre property in the Central Business District - which currently shelters both Rwanda Radio and Television stations- for Rwf 900 million to construct an eight-storey apartment building worth US$ 6 million.Orinfor will soon change name to Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA). Jacques Mapendano, the Project Manager StudioTech S.A, a Belgian company that was contracted to renovate the facility says by the end of October all the works on the building will have been finished.Speaking to The New Times yesterday after touring the new premises, James Musoni, the Minister of Local Government, whose jurisdiction covers the media docket, said the renovation work was on track.“We expect Orinfor to have entered the new structure by December. We want next year RBA to start in the new facility,” he said.Musoni, who was accompanied by the Kigali Mayor and other officials, stated that the installation of the studio equipments and putting final touches on the administration departments is going on smoothly.Orinfor will also acquire new broadcasting equipment such as OB-Vans for both radio and television, build two studios for television and six for radio and build a control room, all which will be digitalised.The €12 million renovation exercise was supposed to be completed within nine months as per the contract, since last October when StudioTech won the tender.

National

Govt inspects new Orinfor premises