{"id":60399,"date":"2023-12-11T17:34:39","date_gmt":"2023-12-11T17:34:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/all-news\/biryogo-how-a-once-infamous-area-became-a-thriving-business-hub"},"modified":"2023-12-11T18:22:27","modified_gmt":"2023-12-11T18:22:27","slug":"biryogo-how-a-once-infamous-area-became-a-thriving-business-hub","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/photo\/biryogo-how-a-once-infamous-area-became-a-thriving-business-hub","title":{"rendered":"Biryogo: How a once-infamous area became a thriving business hub"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Rwanda. <\/strong><\/span>It\u2019s lunchtime and the bustling activity in Biryogo indicates that it\u2019s a popular spot for town residents to have their meals. The air is filled with the enticing aroma of food and spices as restaurants are packed with customers. We intended to delve into the history of Biryogo and explore its evolution, particularly over the last decade.<\/p>\n

We set off from The New Times head office in Gishushu at 11:20 am, just before lunchtime, to capture the activities during that time, as the area is renowned for its diverse cultural restaurants.<\/p>\n

Upon arrival, we were received by the village leader, Amani Rudasingwa, who awaited us at the former Biryogo market, currently undergoing construction to modernise its appearance.<\/p>\n

A view of Biryogo before the renovation activities. Photo by Igihe<\/p>\n

The area was bustling with various business activities including shops, restaurants, retail stores, and construction work. Restaurant owners were busy preparing for the lunch rush. There was a lot of traffic from vehicles, taxi-motos, and commuters, as well as some students heading home for lunch.<\/p>\n

It took us a couple of hours to accomplish our task, as we needed to visit and speak with various business owners and long-time residents in the area to gather their insights.<\/p>\n

Transformation<\/p>\n

Haruna Nizerimana, a resident of Biryogo, was originally born in the same vicinity at a place known as \u2018Mirongo Ine\u2019 in 1962 but moved to Biryogo at the age of four in 1966. He tells tales of change and incredible transformation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we got here, there was no development. There were a few connecting small dusty roads and farms where people would grow crops up until 1973 when the government changed after Juve\u0301nal Habyarimana took over from Gre\u0301goire Kayibanda.<\/p>\n

A view of Biryogo before the renovation activities. Photo by Igihe<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the age of eight, maybe it was the first time I saw a grader passing through these roads, but that was it. It was dejected, with no planning whatsoever, and there was no drainage system. Nobody seemed to care about Biryogo,\u201d Nizerimana said.<\/p>\n

He noted that the area began to change when the current government constructed stone roads in the region, and over the last five years, tarmac roads have significantly transformed the area.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe current government was able to not only fix the roads, but today, we have tarmac and stone-paved roads as well as street lights. As you can see, many developments are going on. We are very thankful to the government for remembering us,\u201d Nizerimana said, adding that previously, the buildings were old and dilapidated.<\/p>\n

A changed place<\/p>\n

In colorful streets, Biryogo car-free zone is where people can sit and enjoy tea, one of the several specialties on February 14, 2022. Through the City of Kigali\u2019s Agatare Upgrading Project, Biryogo has been upgraded to a modern urban neighbourhood and a flourishing business hub.<\/p>\n

Much as Yvonne Murebwayire was not born in Biryogo, she has lived in the area long enough to see it evolve into what it is today. Born in Uganda in 1971, she moved to Biryogo because she realised business there was lucrative.<\/p>\n

When she moved there, stereotypes lingered, like it was underdeveloped and inhabited by Muslims, but on getting there, she realised everybody was welcome to live in Biryogo, which she describes as an inclusive community.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I got here, the place was not as developed as it is today. It started with the roads, first with stone-paved roads and then tarmac roads. We have seen new buildings coming up, replacing the old ones.\u201d<\/p>\n

Murebwayire, however, said the value of buildings, especially shops, changed with the introduction of one-way roads and car-free streets, but that does not matter because it was all part of reorganisation.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome buildings and shops struggled with access, seeing a reduction in clients, but much as we don\u2019t receive many clients, it is okay, we are adjusting. We are doing business, we are growing,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

One thing that sets Biryogo apart is the varying cost of rent, determined by the shop\u2019s location. Monthly rent for standard shops ranges from Rwf150,000 to Rwf200,000, making it more affordable compared to the central business district.<\/p>\n

Rashid Kayitani Habinshuti was born and raised in Biryogo but later moved to Belgium, where he spent two decades before returning home. He knows the story of Biryogo more than anyone else.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was born and raised here but after that, I moved to Belgium where I lived for 20 years, and after that, I decided to come back home just like many other Rwandans, to make a difference in my country,\u201d Habinshuti said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started doing business in Biryogo and that\u2019s where I still live. Much as I didn\u2019t live here for a long time, I know the history of this area,\u201d said the 48-year-old businessman.<\/p>\n

Habinshuti asserts his familiarity with Biryogo before the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Having observed the area\u2019s evolution over the past three decades, including a period of residency outside Rwanda, he can offer insightful comparisons.<\/p>\n

Clients take green tea at Biryogo Car Free Zone where you can find restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and liquor stores among others. Craish BAHIZI<\/p>\n

An \u201cimpossible\u201d place with a bad reputation<\/p>\n

\u201cI have been a witness to the changes here, and many people can see the difference. This place had a not-so-good reputation because it was considered underdeveloped and a home for delinquents.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was known as a place where you find thugs and street kids who stole people\u2019s property such as car parts, or a place to buy stolen goods, but all this has changed. This bad history no longer defines Biryogo,\u201d Habinshuti said.<\/p>\n

Not long ago, car owners would find themselves in \u2018Tarinyota\u2019, a section of Biryogo with garages and car spare parts shops, and often fell prey to deceitful mechanics who pretended to help but ended up swindling their unsuspecting customers.<\/p>\n

Habinshuti said that all these and other negative perceptions tainted the image of Biryogo but this is all in the past now, adding that Biryogo cell in Nyarugenge sector is the only cell that does not have a single murram road and boasts of 100 per cent street lighting.<\/p>\n

Secret to development<\/p>\n

Primarily populated by traditional Muslim families or native-born residents, despite its \u2018slum\u2019 label, Biryogo is reportedly home to the largest number of people living in the diaspora.<\/p>\n

\u201cBiryogo is arguably the only place in Rwanda where you can find families with the highest number of children living abroad as members of the Rwandan diaspora,\u201d Habinshuti noted.<\/p>\n

They either go to study or do business. This, according to residents of the area, has contributed greatly to the development of the area, because the same children remit money back home to support and develop their families.<\/p>\n

It is a unique characteristic that created \u2018healthy competition\u2019 for families to do what they can to send their children abroad, and it is today that the fruits are being harvested.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey come back to support their families, they remit money back home to pay school fees for their siblings and it also explains the new buildings coming up and refurbished houses. It is positive input,\u201d Habinshuti said.<\/p>\n

As such, development started within families and is now spreading to the entire community, and it also keeps the children focused and challenged when they travel abroad.<\/p>\n

This also helps to demystify the notion that Muslims, who predominantly inhabit the area, are illiterate and do not educate their children. Today, they do not only educate their children, they strive to give them the best of education.<\/p>\n

\u201cBiryogo today is safe. People can walk around here for 24 hours without fearing for their security. You can come here and find a place to eat at any given time,\u201d the businessman added.<\/p>\n

There was also the perception that girls couldn\u2019t attend school and would be married off at 17, but this has also changed.<\/p>\n

\u201cGirls don\u2019t just go to school. Today, they are in business \u2014 you\u2019ll also find them in offices, in tourism, and hospitality. This wasn\u2019t the case before,\u201d Habinshuti said, adding that this too came under the current government, where all children have the right to education and equal opportunities.<\/p>\n

Suedi Gakara, 80, has been a resident of Biryogo since 1962.<\/p>\n

Residents\u2019 views<\/p>\n

Today, Biryogo boasts some of the city\u2019s best business minds, importers, exporters and the most innovative and creative minds. Everywhere you look there are shops, restaurants, coffee shops, studios, and trendy fashion outlets.<\/p>\n

Suedi Gakara, 80, who has been a resident of Biryogo since 1962, said he has been a witness to the development and growth of the area in recent years.<\/p>\n

Back then, Biryogo had the cheapest plots of land, going for as little as Rwf400, but today, it would be a miracle to even acquire a plot of land in the area, as the latest developments and prospects have made the price of land skyrocket.<\/p>\n

Fatuma Uwimana, a businesswoman born in Biryogo in 1989.<\/p>\n

Fatuma Uwimana, a businesswoman born in Biryogo in 1989, said there are certain things she has been able to see with her own eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore, people used to sell land cheaply but ever since this development came, they stopped selling their land and decided to develop themselves. They understand the value of what they have,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Of course, like any other part of Rwanda going through the development phase, Biryogo still faces some challenges, but Uwimana says these are not unique to Biryogo only, such as people still grappling with poverty and teenage pregnancies, among others.<\/p>\n

Amani Rudasingwa, a local leader who has lived in Biryogo for the past 26 years.<\/p>\n

Amani Rudasingwa, a local leader who has lived in Biryogo for the past 26 years, told The New Times: \u201cThe changes are visible for everyone to see, in terms of development and growth. These houses you see here have all changed over time. They were old dilapidated tin-roofed houses.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said the current leadership encouraged people to change their way of life, starting by giving them permits to rehabilitate and renovate their houses, while others were connected to banks to get loans to put up buildings.<\/p>\n

The government on the other hand built the infrastructure needed, especially roads and access to electricity, schools, and health facilities.<\/p>\n

A night view Biryogo Car Free Zone photographed on Sunday on June 19. The predominantly Muslim neighbourhood became popular for its diversity and hospitality of the people. Photo by Craish Bahizi<\/p>\n

Through the City of Kigali\u2019s Agatare Upgrading Project, Biryogo has been upgraded to a modern urban neighbourhood and a flourishing business hub.<\/p>\n

The project seeks to turn around the area with a population density of 220\/ha by improving housing, and infrastructure, including roads, footpaths, drainage, buildings, and lighting, to make it more liveable.<\/p>\n

The Rwf12.5bn project funded by the Government of Rwanda and the World Bank, started in 2018 and has seen at least 6.66km of roads within Biryogo paved and lit while the drainage system has been established.<\/p>\n

The project also integrates other aspects to make it not just a tourist stopover but also an entertainment and hospitality hotspot.<\/p>\n

Among other things, Rudasingwa said that a new market is under construction, replacing the old one, where traders will be able to do their business in a more modern setting.<\/p>\n

Clients cheer one another at Biryogo car free zone. Craish BAHIZI<\/p>\n

In colorful streets, Biryogo car-free zone is where people can sit and enjoy tea, one of the several specialties on February 14, 2022. Through the City of Kigali\u2019s Agatare Upgrading Project, Biryogo has been upgraded to a modern urban neighbourhood and a flourishing business hub.<\/p>\n

One of new road networks that were constructed in Biryogo to revamp commercial area in Nyarugenge District.<\/p>\n

Fatuma Uwimana’s house,in Biryogo, one of the new residential houses.<\/p>\n

Businessman Rashid Kayitani Habinshuti walks around his new commercial building which is under construction in Biryogo.<\/p>\n

Barista Honorine Irizabimbuto prepares coffee for clients at Issa Coffee shop in Biryogo on February 14, 2022.<\/p>\n

PHOTO BY Craish BAHIZI<\/p>\n

Clients take green tea at Biryogo Car Free Zone where you can find restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and liquor stores among others. Craish BAHIZI<\/p>\n\r\n