Residents of different Kigali neighbourhoods who seek to pave their communal roads will only contribute 50 percent of the budget after the city of Kigali committed to top up.

This comes after city authorities observed that many of the roads residents contributed to construct have turned out to be of poor quality, some getting destroyed within a short time.

In appreciation of efforts residents have put in these communal road initiatives albeit the meagre resources and lack of technical input, city authorities decided to support the initiatives.

“We don’t have statistics of how many kilometers, but residents around many Kigali neighbourhoods have mobilised resources and constructed their roads, but many of them are of poor quality, so we are coming in to support with the 50 percent budget contribution,” said Mbabwanamaguru Merard, the City of Kigali Vice Mayor in Charge of urban planning and infrastructure.

The funds to be used in these initiatives has been allocated in this years budget. The City will also come in with technical support critically needed in these communal road projects.

In Nyarugunga sector, Nonko cell, Gitara village, residents have just contributed money to pave their road, unlike in other place the road has taken long because they had to follow municipality guidelines of first constructing drainage channels and trenches before paving the road.

“The most important and expensive part of constructing these communal roads is building these trenches, without them the roads don’t last like it had happened in some places, the rest is much easier,” said Mbabwanamaguru.

Officials said the roads will be treated like any other municipality roads, that even when they break down the city will come in to repair them.

Going forward, the roads will be constructed according to usual road standards, where besides well built trenches, they will have pedestrian lanes, street lights and street numbers.

The City targets to construct more than 20 kilometers of communal roads, and it calls upon residents with road projects to approach the city.

“This came as a huge relief, the cost of constructing our road had become untenable after everything almost doubled in price, this is responsible of our city and we are thankful, now we can restart activities to pave our road,” said Harerimana Saidi, a resident in Kigali.

Many sectors in Kigali have had all their roads paved, while others are also mobilizing resources even now. These roads have also been a direct result of the monthly community work, because it is during this activity that many residents and leaders have discussed and agreed on such projects.

Communal road projects are ongoing in places like Kimironko, Remera, Kibagabaga, Kacyiru among others, where they have modernised these communities. Residents form a road construction committee, which fast tracks the project and also opens a bank account in which every member deposits the contribution.

Although a certain amount to be contributed is normally set, it is not normally set in stone, people contribute according to their financial abilities.