[One kiosk owner ] said that he bought the kiosk through KCC [Kigali City Council] during the reign of Theoneste Mutsindashyaka. He quoted ... the contract he has with city authorities which states that the kiosks should not be interfered with before a period of five years.
Needless to say the five year period has not yet elapsed.
[The shop owner] says that he recently received a letter from city authorities informing him that he had been relocated to an area which is far from the city.
The closing statement of the article is a disturbing insight into the mind of Kigali administrators. More evictions, more demolitions, until Kigali is the squeaky-clean showcase that the government wants it to be :
[The city council inspector] said the council is currently developing detailed plans to reduce slums in various areas in the city and that the new plan is designed to make the city a major commercial and service centre in the East African community, as well as making it environmentally friendly.
... and Kigali will be SO pretty!
1 comment:
Hi. I've had a different look at the reconstruction of the central residential district there in Kigali. When in Johannesburg I met Peter Rich, the head architect for the project - he and my partner are friends and he works at Witwatersrand University where Matthias was speaking at a conference. If you haven't yet done so, you should track down some of Peter's work: Mandela Yard in Alexandra, JoBurg; a conversation, http://www.mnet.co.za/Mnet/Shows/carteblanche/story.asp?Id=2795. Ultimately, if Kigali is going to reshape its infrastructure, Peter's probably the guy. Caveat: The displacement of people, primarily the poor, and the destruction of entire neighborhoods is nothing short of tragic; I recognize this and find that it rings of apartheid-era wholesale clearance of townships. It's heartwrenching. Best to you; I hope you're well, Ann Neumann, NYC
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