Nyarugenge District headquarters to construct new offices valued at Rwf 1 billion. The district vice Mayor in charge of finance and economic development Felicien Kagisha has said. The move follows the acquisition of the land currently adjacent to the former Jali grounds by the owners of the upcoming luxurious Marriott Hotel.
“The funds to construct new premises were included in the next financial budget – 2011/2012,” Kagisha said.
Kagisha, however, said that the district is yet to acquire land to build the offices.
“It is a process, first to acquire land and design the block and even money to do all these. We are waiting for the developers to pay us…but we hope they will pay us before the end of the year,” said Kagisha.
According to the vice mayor, the owners of the hotel shall pay a total of Rwf 1.2 billion for the plot of land which shall be used for the extension of the hotel alongside a parking lot. Also to be relocated are the current offices of Rwanda Television to give way for the hotel’s expansion.
“We will relocate after they (hotel proprietors) pay us…and that is when we will rent (the premises) where will be operating from as we await the completion of the new offices,” Kagisha explained.
Recently, a Marriott delegation was in Kigali, where they inspected the progress of the ongoing construction, Mr. Billy Cheung, who led the delegation, spoke to the media last week and announced that the critical room shortage in Kigali’s capital would be bridged when the 254 room and suite Marriot Kigali opens its doors next year. The hotel is expected to be opened in Q3 or Q4 of 2012, depending of progress of work and in particular the interior finish which will create the hallmarks of a Marriot Hotel like seen elsewhere in the world. Mr. Cheung also mentioned that this is the first of such projects by Marriot in sub Saharan Africa and will probably be a yardstick for further expansion and investments in Africa as a whole.
While in Kigali the group met with relevant government officials and sections of the business community to discuss the progress of the project, issues of sourcing materials and their importation to Rwanda but also future cooperation and to establish early ties with key stakeholders in the Rwandan economy.
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