Regional
Ten noteworthy infrastructure projects completed in Kagame’s third term
In
his acceptance speech following the announcement of provisional presidential
elections results, which confirmed him as the winner on August 5, 2017,
President Paul Kagame thanked Rwandans and vowed to continue transforming
Rwanda as well as ensuring a dignified life for every citizen.
He
said that for the next seven years, the Rwandan government would continue “to
take care of issues that affect Rwandans and ensure that we become real
Rwandans who are [economically] developing.”
Six
years later, a lot has been done. Notwithstanding the global economic breakdown
caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, the country strived,
remained resilient, and made significant development progress.
Rwanda
initiated and completed various projects which boosted the country’s economy
and played a big role in improving people’s lives as well as contributing to
the country’s development in many sectors including tourism, sports development,
rural development, transportation, and health.
Listed
here, in no particular order, are 10 noteworthy, ongoing and finalized,
infrastructure projects within the seven years of President Kagame’s third term.
BK Arena
Constructed
and finished in 2019, the state-of-the-art BK Arena was a joint project between
the government of Rwanda and the Turkish Investment Company, Summa, which was
completed at the cost of $104 million.
The 10,000 seater sports arena which can also sit an
additional 5,000 people if fully packed, is the biggest indoor arena
in East Africa. The facility is multi-purpose as it also hosts meetings,
conferences, exhibitions, and concerts.
Since
its inauguration in August 2019, the facility hosted numerous big events which
created jobs and business opportunities for many, generated revenues for the
country, and improved social life in general.
Kigali International Airport expansion
The
suspension of aviation travel due to the pandemic allowed the government to
embark on upgrades of of Kigali International Airport (KIA) allowing it to
fully comply with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
standards.
The
expansion activities finalized in 2020 have seen KIA get a new apron, three
taxiways, a hangar, an upgraded terminal and airfield lighting.
The
airport’s parking capacity increased from accommodating 26 aircrafts to 44, and
the arrivals processing area increased from 0.7 square meters per passenger to
1.2 square meters.
New international airport in Bugesera
As
of June 2023, the construction of the new Kigali International Airport in
Bugesera District had surpassed the halfway mark, standing at 50 per cent
completion.
With
an estimated $2 billion in investment, the facility which is located about 40km
to the southeast of Kigali, will have a terminal building capable of handling eight
million passengers annually and a cargo terminal that can accommodate 150,000
tons of cargo a year.
The
country’s mega project, which is expected to be operational by 2026, will not
only benefit Rwanda but also the entire Africa. It will address a critical
problem of a fragmented network of routes that often require passengers to
travel via Europe or the Middle East when flying between African countries.
Amahoro National Stadium renovation
The
Amahoro National Stadium expansion project started in March 2022.
After
its upgrading, the multi-purpose stadium will accommodate 45,000 spectators up
from 25,000, enhance the comfort and experience of spectators, and contribute
to the growth of sports and entertainment in the country.
Slated
for completion in end 2024, the revamped facility will cost Rwf160 billion. It will
be the largest stadium in Rwanda that hosts football matches, concerts, and
public events.
Nyandungu Eco-Park
The
Nyandungu restoration project was a six-year initiative aimed at responding to
environmental challenges such as pollution and flooding through the conservation
of wetland ecosystems and eco-tourism.
Opened
for visitors in July 2022, the once-degraded wetland is now an educational,
recreational, and touristic place.
Nyandungu
Urban Wetland Eco-tourism Park contains 17,000 trees made up of 55 indigenous
species, more than 100 bird species, a medicinal garden, a Pope’s garden, five
catchment ponds, three recreation ponds, an information center, a restaurant as
well as 10km of walkways and bike lanes.
The
121-hectares park was completed at a cost of Rwf4.5 billion. It is projected
that it will generate over Rwf1 billion profit in the first 12 years of
operation.
BioNTech Vaccine manufacturing facility
After
the Covid-19 pandemic exposed Africa's huge dependence on imported vaccines,
Rwanda was among the three-selected countries to host Africa’s first mRNA vaccine
plants along with South Africa and Senegal.
The
construction of the BioNTech vaccine manufacturing facility in Kigali was
launched in June 2022, making Rwanda the first to host the mRNA vaccine plant
in Africa.
The
first of two initial BioNTainers – one for manufacturing mRNA and one for
producing the formulated bulk drug product – composed of six ISO-sized shipping
containers arrived in Rwanda in March 2023.
The facility
will produce up to 100 million mRNA vaccines per year. It will manufacture
Tuberculosis, HIV, and Malaria vaccines.
Volkswagen Rwanda
The
largest European motor vehicle manufacturer from Germany, Volkswagen (VW),
started assembling vehicles in Rwanda in 2018, following an agreement signed
between the Rwandan government and the company, in late 2016.
The
VW assembly plant in Kigali assembles more than four models including VW
Teramont, Passat, Polo, Tiguan and Amarok models.
The
plant is expected to assemble electric tractors that will
contribute to boosting agriculture mechanisation and reducing carbon emissions
for environmental protection purposes.
On
June 8, the Rwandan government signed an MoU with VW to implement GenFarm
Project in Bugesera district, which will establish a modern farm utilizing such
electric tractors.
District Hospitals
In Rwanda’s
vision of enhancing access to quality health for all in its seven-year government
programme, the National Strategy for Transformation (2017-2024), the country
launched four modern district hospitals nationwide which President Kagame had
promised citizens.
As
promised by Kagame in 2015, Nyabikenke District Hospital in Muhanga district was
completed in 2021 and started operations in mid-2023, costing more than Rwf7
billion.
Munini
District Hospital in Nyaruguru district was inaugurated in July 2022, costing
$14.5 million.
Completed
in 2019 with cost of Rwf3.5 billion, the construction of Gatonde District Hospital
in Gakenke district started in March 2017. It was after President Kagame held leaders
accountable for the late delivery of the hospital and tasked them to fast-track
the project during his visit to the district in 2016.
In
2020, Nyarugenge District Hospital was built. The first phase was constructed within
18 months at the cost of Rwf9 billion, and it is now fully operational.
Water treatment plants
The
government accomplished another milestone in its target of ensuring universal
access to water by 2024, launching two water treatment plants, and upgrading one.
The
Nzove I water treatment plant and Kigali Bulk water supply project in Bugesera
district were inaugurated in 2019 and 2021, respectively, while Nzove II water
treatment plant was expanded.
Nzove
I produces 40 million liters per day while Nzove II upgraded from 25 million
liters in 2016 to 40 million liters per day in 2019.
The
plants provide over 70 percent of the clean water used in Kigali city. Kigali Bulk water supply project produces
40 million liters per day and supplies 30 million liters to Kigali and 10
million liters to Bugesera district.
Roads infrastructure
Kigali
city and secondary cities got new roads while some old ones were expanded.
For
instance, a Rwf7.3 billion ‘Kigali Infrastructure project’(KIP) is being
implemented from 2022 to 2026 covering an area of 215.6km.
Under
KIP, 57 new roads will be constructed including one from Masaka to the new
international airport in Bugesera District and another from Base-Kidaho-Butaro
outside of Kigali.
In
2019, the government launched a project to upgrade the dual carriage 13.8-kilometre-long
Sonatube-Gahanga-Akagera bridge road which was completed in 2022, at the cost
of Rwf48 billion.
The
long-awaited Huye-Gisagara road covering 13.8km was also completed in 2020 at the
tune of Rwf 6.5 billion, three years after it was pledged by President Kagame
during his presidential campaign in 2017.
Launched
in 2019, the expansion of the 66km Huye-Nyaruguru road was completed at a cost
of Rwf90 billion. It connects the two districts cutting through Kibeho-Ndago,
Ndago-Munini, Ndago-Ngoma, and Kibeho urban roads.
The Base-Rukomo–Nyagatare
road project covering 124.3km was upgraded from unpaved road to asphalt. The
road promoted trade between the northern and eastern parts of Rwanda through a
direct link between the towns of Rubavu, Musanze, Gicumbi, and Nyagatare.