As you move around the city, there are a number of construction activities especially buildings but the question that lingers in the minds of policy makers and urban planners are how to sustain the development.
The second National Urban Forum tried to address some of the key factors that would enhance sustainability of the urban development activities and much emphasis was put on lowering the cost of construction with an aim of having affordable decent houses.
Yet with ongoing implementation of the Kigali master plan then, it was revealed that a lot of money was being spent in importing construction materials.
Donna Rubinoff, the Kigali City director of urban planning and One Stop Centre emphasized on the use of local materials which were affordable.
“In taxi parks for instance there’re should be solar lights which should reduce on the cost of electricity.” She advised.
Rubinoff was also backed by participant who is an engineer. “we can also use Agro stone which is a block made of manure and other farm waste, yet stone doesn’t require a lot of technology, magnesium phosphate for instance a kilo costs Frw 1,200 which can make 78 blocks another material is larva from volcanic mountains which is available in Rwanda’s Virunga mountains.
“We have all the materials what’s delaying us? Look at Ethiopia they ’re doing well this kind of stone,” said the engineer.
In this respect, Rubinoff insists that there’re should be a research institute in the country meant to indentify some of the local construction materials which facilitate affordable housing.
However, a complaint from participants criticized the breakdown of hydro-foam machine which was used to make bricks.
“Even the research should also focus on the use of some construction machines and find if it’s really applicable, I worry that those brick-making machines might have broken down due to either lack of competence from users or poor materials.”
She also added that there was a need for the government to develop infrastructure before people settle in a specific area.
“This would promote orderly construction of houses since there’re roads that divide the plots and both electricity and water channels would also facilitate building activities, without this it can lead to slums and poor road network in the neighborhood,” she remarked.
The sewage system on the other hand is an issue affecting most urban dwellers where waste is disposed in a disorderly manner yet when it’s managed efficiently it can be recycled thus promoting the economy.
In Kenya for instance waste from toilets is purified to clean safe water while urine is mostly used to make fertilizer.
What’s more, the Kigali One Stop Construction Centre wants to network its services with district offices, with the aim of enhancing speedy issuing of licenses to those willing to construct houses.
“Indeed we have a lot of people queuing at our head offices and I hope the system will improve how we deliver our services,” Rubinoff remarked.
There is also need for better transportation routes with ample pedestrian paths. Oswald Tuyizere the African Regional Officer of the National Council of Persons with Disabilities urged the city planners to design pedestrian paths which are comfortable to disabled people.
“Most of the buildings in the city are not accessible to people living with disabilities, like this Lemigo hotel we’re having this meeting, it’s not at all friendly to those using wheel chairs for instance kindly take note of my concerns.” He pointed out.
In an earlier interview with the director of National Housing Corporation (NHC) Esther Mutamba, she revealed that there are plans to improve affordable decent houses.
“It’s true we want all citizens to live in well-constructed houses that’s why we’re devising ways to ease building costs to our investors in order to have affordable houses to all”.
However, people should not be excited since currently the government doesn’t have enough money to start constructing descent houses all over the country.
“It’s still a challenge since we don’t have enough finances now that’s why we’re encouraging financial institutions to prolong the repayment period to those who have acquired mortgages,” Mutamba said.
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