{"id":85048,"date":"2024-09-20T16:38:38","date_gmt":"2024-09-20T16:38:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/all-news\/kibuye-kiziba-road-upgrade-promises-economic-impact-for-locals-refugees"},"modified":"2024-09-20T17:23:00","modified_gmt":"2024-09-20T17:23:00","slug":"kibuye-kiziba-road-upgrade-promises-economic-impact-for-locals-refugees","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/economy\/kibuye-kiziba-road-upgrade-promises-economic-impact-for-locals-refugees","title":{"rendered":"Kibuye-Kiziba road upgrade promises economic impact for locals, refugees"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Rwanda. <\/strong><\/span>Rwanda is set to benefit from a newly paved road leading to Kiziba Refugee Camp by completing the \u201cRehabilitation, Upgrading, and Maintenance of Kibuye-Kiziba Project Camp\u201d. This 14.5km stretch connects Karongi Town to Kiziba, Rwanda\u2019s oldest refugee camp, home to Congolese refugees.<\/p>\n

During a recent visit to the site, made possible by China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) as part of its upcoming 50th-anniversary celebrations in Rwanda, it was clear that the road was already bringing hope and transformation to the area.<\/p>\n

Though rough in places with major earthwork underway, the landscape changes. The road has been eagerly awaited, particularly by residents of the Rwankuba sector and the Kiziba camp community, who have long faced challenges due to its poor condition. Non-governmental organisations serving the refugee camp also struggled with limited access.<\/p>\n

Many locals have found temporary employment through their involvement in the road works. Currently, the paved section of the road ends near Rwanda Polytechnic, IPRC Karongi. However, once completed, the road will extend from Karongi Town to connect with the Karongi-Rusizi national road, making travel smoother for both residents and businesses.<\/p>\n

The new road under construction by China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC)<\/p>\n

\u201cThe old road left us isolated from nearby communities. Even though the town is relatively close, transport fares ranged from Rwf1,500 to Rwf2,000, which was quite expensive,\u201d said Emmanuel Nsizamuhuga, a resident of Bwishyura sector.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow that the tarmac road is coming, the value of our land is increasing, and shopping is getting easier for small businesses that rely on town traders to restock. On top of that, electricity has just been installed from the national grid\u2014you can see the wires in my house. They\u2019re set to activate it any day now. We\u2019re really happy to see things changing,\u201d Nsizamuhuga added.<\/p>\n

Egide Karimunda, a local trader, shared how the road\u2019s transformation is already impacting his business: \u201cFor the past seven years, I\u2019ve been delivering essential goods to shops inside the camp, and the rainy seasons were a nightmare. Blockages or fears of mudslides would stop us from operating altogether. But now, with the road widening since the earthwork began, travel has become easier.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce the road is fully complete, I expect interactions with people from the camp to increase since they\u2019ll be able to travel to us more easily. Another positive, though not for everyone, is the compensation for land taken for road construction\u2014many locals earned some money from this. Karongi is a developing city, especially with Lake Kivu right next to us. I feel this area was the only one missing good roads, as the whole town is already paved and well-lit. This new road is going to be a game changer for the entire area.\u201d<\/p>\n

Many locals have found temporary employment through their involvement in the road works<\/p>\n

Sam Ndayishimiye, a site manager for the project at China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), pointed out that expropriation has been their biggest hurdle: \u201cThe terrain hasn\u2019t been a problem for us; the challenges were with compensating people whose land was affected by the road construction. There were delays, but RTDA, our client, is finalising the process to ensure everyone is compensated.\u201d<\/p>\n

As for the broader impact of the project, Ndayishimiye added: \u201cTraders who could only make one trip per day on the bad road can now make multiple trips, thanks to the improved safety. Ticket prices for transport have also dropped significantly. We\u2019ve hired over 400 local workers, with around 60 per cent coming from this district. They\u2019re gaining valuable experience in operating machinery and learning the advanced techniques we use to build a project of this scale.\u201d<\/p>\n

There was no chance to venture further into the camp to hear directly from the refugees about their challenges. However, one thing is clear\u2014the road is driving significant economic progress for the surrounding communities and those who rely on it. The refugees will certainly benefit from these improvements as well.<\/p>\n

The road has been eagerly awaited, particularly by residents of the Rwankuba sector and the Kiziba camp community<\/p>\n

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