Residents of Kanyinya Sector, in Nyarugenge District of the City of Kigali, say they are pleased with the development that the government has brought closer to them, particularly in terms of improved transportation and well-planned housing.
They explain that the introduction of Ecofleet public buses operating through different parts of the sector has reduced both transport costs and the time previously lost on the road. Today, a resident traveling from Nyabugogo to Taba Cell pays only RWF 350, compared to up to RWF 1,000 in the past.
Gasana Jean, a resident of Taba Cell, said the new transport system has greatly benefited them.
“You can now travel from Nyabugogo Bus Park to Taba in just a few minutes using an Ecofleet bus and pay RWF 350. Even by motorcycle, it takes no more than 15 minutes. This has made our lives much easier.” He said.
Residents also commend the Government of Rwanda for adding value to their land through the development of the Rwakivumu housing site, located in Taba Cell. The site was legally planned and subdivided into 2,076 plots sold at affordable prices, enabling residents to acquire land for housing.
The leadership of Kanyinya Sector notes that before public buses became available, residents faced high transport costs, which made it difficult for them to reach their daily workplaces. That challenge, however, has now been resolved.
Niyonzima Alphonse, another resident of the sector, said development has reached them in a visible and meaningful way.
“We now have a well-planned housing site. Anyone who buys a plot pays RWF 340,000 for infrastructure and receives building permits within four weeks. This has made us feel that development is not just reaching us, but that we are part of it.” He shared.
Kanyinya Sector is made up of three cells Nzove, Taba and Nyamweru and is among the sectors increasingly showing progress in public transport services and well-planned housing.
Story by Jean Elyse Byiringiro