Rwangombwa rescinds Kicukiro market tender

The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, John Rwangombwa, has asked Kicukiro District officials to reconsider Kicukiro Investment Group for the redevelopment of an area commonly known as Kicukiro Centre.Rwangombwa’s directive follows concerns that a private contractor awarded the tender in place of Kicukiro Investment Group lacked a tangible development plan in contrast to the latter.The minister said Kicukiro Investment Group had proposed a better project despite offering a lower bid for the controversial parcel of land.According to district officials, Kicukiro Investment Group had intended to put up a Rwf4 billion shopping mall but was acquiring the land at Rwf40 million compared to another private bidder who had offered Rwf100 million, but whose project is valued at Rwf2 billion. “The tendering process is supposed to be in the interest of the development of the area and with positive impact on the people,” said Rwangombwa during a tour of development projects in the district last week.“If the first developer had a bigger project, he should be given a go ahead to redevelop the area even if they are buying the land at a cheaper price.” Mayor Paul Jules Ndamage said the district would meet with representatives of the Kicukiro Investment Group to re-evaluate their interest in the project. The local group of investors had pulled out of the deal after the district re-advertised the tender.“We will have to meet the developers next week before we come up with a better solution,” said Ndamage.According to the district authorities, the group had not gone through the requisite tendering procedures to acquire the land as demanded by law. The group had been awaiting the approval of its architectural design to put up the structure from the Kigali Construction One-Stop Centre.The district had re-advertised the tender to put up a real estate project on the parcel of land where a market comprising 400 traders stands. It has since emerged that the tendering process attracted only one developer who was not identified by the district.The fate of the traders operating in the market is unclear. The district authorities had earlier set February 15 as the deadline for them to vacate the market for relocation to another site.According to the district master plan, buildings along the Sonatubes-Gahanga road should have a minimum of four-storeys.

National

Rwangombwa rescinds Kicukiro market tender