When government officials toured the district to see how the buildings had been closed on September 24, Prime Minister Dr Edouard Ngirente alongside other ministers had said that this exercise was not thought through.
Huye District authorities had decided to close some buildings in Huye town, advising owners to revamp them and build storied houses, an act that was seen as malicious.
The district first closed houses in Cyarabu neighborhood. Four years of inactivity later, the second part of the town from the City of Kigali was also closed.
Among the closed buildings is the most popular “Faucon” whose closure attracted public criticism who suggested that it would instead be preserved because it is a artifact to Huye Town which was formerly Astrida during the colonial era.
Minister of Infrastructure Amb. Claver Gatete said that the owners were given a five-year deadline as they searched for means to build houses that are in line with the town master plan.
“We decided to reopen most houses belonging to private businesses. We also agreed that five years would be enough for them to have been completed rebuilding the houses and follow the updated master plan.”
Those who have different investments and other businesses in Huye town welcomed those decision and demanded that they be facilitated to find rehabilitation permits.
Colette Mukandekwe, a businesswoman in Huye Town said, “What we demand is that construction permits should be easily availed so that we can be able to rebuild as soon as possible.”
Minister Gatete also said that every communal work day, Huye town will be visited by government officials to check how far residents will have gone with revamping the houses.
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