New route: Special economic zone
During a press conference today, Ministers of Infrastructure, Local Government and Finance joined the City Mayor to announce a set of changes in public transport.
The officials, each of them acting in their respective capacity, announced new public transport corridors and lines that will ease mobility in the quick growing traffic.
Effective March 16, the city of Kigali will have 18 transport operators including 14 companies and 4 individuals who were accredited for public transport in the capital Kigali.
They were allocated seven corridors, which include several lines of buses that will take commuters to and from their respective destinations.
Kigali City transport corridors and their lines
Corridor A mainly rotates around Gasabo and Kicukiro district and will have four bus operators including KBS, Nyabugogo Cooperative, Ritco and Volcano Express.
It will include several lines including Remera-Down town, Kabuga-Nyabugogo, Rubirizi-Dowton, Remera-Nyabugogo via Kacyiru and Nyanza-Remera.
To this will be added new lines which include Remera-Special Economic Zone, Remera-Busanza via Mu Itunda which means that one may need to reach Busanza without necessarily having to pass by the Airport road.
There is also a new line of Kigali Central Business District(CBD)- Downtown. This supposes that one will be able to board a bus from say, A&M Bank if they want for example to go to CHIC, MIC or other businesses around Kwa Rubangura.
Some of the buses accredited for city transport
Corridor B Is mainly about downtown/Nyabugogo-Kicukiro, with KBS, Ritco, Four G Transport Company, Nsengiyumva Jean Paul and Remera Cooperative.
The buses will take commuters through the lines of Kibaya-Kanombe-Downtown via Sonatubes, Remera-Ndera, Remera-Masaka, Kabuga-Remera, Kibaya-Kanombe-Remera, Remera-Nyabugogo via Kacyiru, Busanza-Remera via Nyarugunga, Kanombe-Nyabugogo via Kacyiru and Remera-Gasogi.
Some new lines include Masaka-Kabuga via Masaka hospital which will become very important as Masaka becomes a health hub.
Another one is Rubirizi-Remera and then Masoro(AUCA)-Remera which is very important for the academic community at the Adventist University of Central Africa, church goers and the residents of the area in general.
Also coming is Masaka-Special Economic Zone which is important for the workers in the industrial zone which employs thousands. Masaka-Rusheshe is also new in this corridor.
Corridor C is mainly Nyanza Kicukiro-Downtown/Nyabugogo dedicated to Bus Transport Logistics Ltd, Royal Express and Yahoo Express.
Its lines are Nyanza via Zion-DownTown, Nyanza-Downtown via Gatenga, Rwandex-Zion-Nyabugogo, Nyanza-Kimironko and Nyabugogo-Nyanza via Gatenga,
This time passengers to Nyanza-Karembure, Nyanza-Gahanga via Nunga and Nyanza-Kacyiru will also be catered for.
Corridor D, courtesy of Royal Express, Yahoo Express, SU Direct Service Ltd will ply Kicukiro-Niboye road network which includes Downtown-St Joseph, Downtown-Bwerankori, Nyabugogo-St Joseph, Kimironko-Bwerankori, Nyanza-Bwerankori-Nyamirambo(RP), Muyange-St Joseph-Zinia, Muyange-Kicukiro Centre-Zinia and Nyarurama-Bwerankori.
Corridor E with Volcano, Ebenezer, Royal Express, Centre Centre Cooperative, Jali transport will take a part of Gasabo district.
Lines in this corridor include Kinyinya-Downtwon via Nyarutarama, Kimironko-Downtown, Kacyiru-Downtown, Kinyinya-Kimironko, Musave-Kimironko via Azam, Batsinda-Kimironko, Masaka-Kimironko, Kabuga-Kimironko and Masizi-Kimironko,
Two new lines which could be a relief to passengers in Kigali could be Kimironko-Bumbogo and Gasanze-Birembo-Kinyinya.
Corridor F in Gasabo will have Shalom Transportation Ltd, Jali Transport Ltd, City Centre, Mberimfura Donatien, Iwacu Batty Ltd.
Its lines will include Batsinda-Downtown, Kimironko-Nyabugogo, Musave-Kimironko via Zindiro, Nyabugogo-Gakinjiro via Fawe and Batsinda, Batsinda-Nyabugogo, Batsinda-Downtown, Kimironko-Nyabugogo, Kinyinya-Nyabugogo via Utexrwa, Kinyinya-Dowtown via Utexrwa, and Gasanze-Batsinda-Nyabugogo.
Nyacyonga-Rutunga and Nyacyonga-Masoro are two new lines in this corridor.
The last Corridor G in Nyarugenge has the biggest number of operators with five companies and one individual operator. They are Ritco Ltd, KBS, Volcano, Jali Transport, Remera Cooperative and Murinda Raphael.
Its lines are Nyamirambo(Irya Nyuma)-Downtwon, Nyamirambo-Kimisagara-Nyabugogo, Nyacyonga-Nyabugogo, Nyabugogo-Bishenyi, RP Nyamirambo-Mageragere, Karama(Norvege)-Nyabugogo, Nyabugogo-Downtown, Nyabugogo-Gihara, Nyabugogo-Kanyinya, Nyabugogo-Karuruma-Jali, Nyabyondo-Nyabugogo, Nyabugogo-Giticyinyoni, Karama-Rya Nyuma, Nyabugogo-Bweramvura, and Nyabugogo-Kanogo-Cyumbati
Meanwhile, private operators are free to go to Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority(RURA) to apply for more roads that were not planned in these corridors.
“They can go to RURA and comply with rules and regulations where they can for example fix their transport prices,” said Alain Mukurarinda, the Deputy Government Spokesperson who was the moderator of the day.
The Minister of Infrastructure recalled the background of Pubic Transport development since 2020 when the government put subsidies on the cost of transport.
In 2023, the government decided to buy buses and to offer them on flexible loans to transport operators to alleviate the increasing complaints on scarcity of buses.
One hundred buses were shipped and sold to operators, and another one hundred buses is expected, despite delays because they were supposed to arrive end of January 2024. ‘
Meanwhile, March 16 will also see subsidies in public transport halted where passengers will have to raise the whole amount of their ride.
The Minister of Infrastructure Dr. Jimmy Gasore said that issues in transport having been alleviated, the subsidies will be reoriented in fixing fuel prices, among other national priorities.
“We have shifted the subsidies to other areas,” Gasore said.
According to Samuel Dusengiyumva, Kigali has increased its fleet to 500 buses from 200 buses in 2021.
The buses serve 250,000 passengers every day during the week days and nearly 180,000 during the weekend.
Kigali Introduces New Public Transport Lines to Ease Mobility
During a press conference today, Ministers of Infrastructure, Local Government and Finance joined the City Mayor to announce a set of changes in public transport.
The officials, each of them acting in their respective capacity, announced new public transport corridors and lines that will ease mobility in the quick growing traffic.
Effective March 16, the city of Kigali will have 18 transport operators including 14 companies and 4 individuals who were accredited for public transport in the capital Kigali.
They were allocated seven corridors, which include several lines of buses that will take commuters to and from their respective destinations.
Kigali City transport corridors and their lines
Corridor A mainly rotates around Gasabo and Kicukiro district and will have four bus operators including KBS, Nyabugogo Cooperative, Ritco and Volcano Express.
It will include several lines including Remera-Down town, Kabuga-Nyabugogo, Rubirizi-Dowton, Remera-Nyabugogo via Kacyiru and Nyanza-Remera.
To this will be added new lines which include Remera-Special Economic Zone, Remera-Busanza via Mu Itunda which means that one may need to reach Busanza without necessarily having to pass by the Airport road.
There is also a new line of Kigali Central Business District(CBD)- Downtown. This supposes that one will be able to board a bus from say, A&M Bank if they want for example to go to CHIC, MIC or other businesses around Kwa Rubangura.
Corridor B Is mainly about downtown/Nyabugogo-Kicukiro, with KBS, Ritco, Four G Transport Company, Nsengiyumva Jean Paul and Remera Cooperative.
The buses will take commuters through the lines of Kibaya-Kanombe-Downtown via Sonatubes, Remera-Ndera, Remera-Masaka, Kabuga-Remera, Kibaya-Kanombe-Remera, Remera-Nyabugogo via Kacyiru, Busanza-Remera via Nyarugunga, Kanombe-Nyabugogo via Kacyiru and Remera-Gasogi.
Some new lines include Masaka-Kabuga via Masaka hospital which will become very important as Masaka becomes a health hub.
Another one is Rubirizi-Remera and then Masoro(AUCA)-Remera which is very important for the academic community at the Adventist University of Central Africa, church goers and the residents of the area in general.
Also coming is Masaka-Special Economic Zone which is important for the workers in the industrial zone which employs thousands. Masaka-Rusheshe is also new in this corridor.
Corridor C is mainly Nyanza Kicukiro-Downtown/Nyabugogo dedicated to Bus Transport Logistics Ltd, Royal Express and Yahoo Express.
Its lines are Nyanza via Zion-DownTown, Nyanza-Downtown via Gatenga, Rwandex-Zion-Nyabugogo, Nyanza-Kimironko and Nyabugogo-Nyanza via Gatenga,
This time passengers to Nyanza-Karembure, Nyanza-Gahanga via Nunga and Nyanza-Kacyiru will also be catered for.
Corridor D, courtesy of Royal Express, Yahoo Express, SU Direct Service Ltd will ply Kicukiro-Niboye road network which includes Downtown-St Joseph, Downtown-Bwerankori, Nyabugogo-St Joseph, Kimironko-Bwerankori, Nyanza-Bwerankori-Nyamirambo(RP), Muyange-St Joseph-Zinia, Muyange-Kicukiro Centre-Zinia and Nyarurama-Bwerankori.
Corridor E with Volcano, Ebenezer, Royal Express, Centre Centre Cooperative, Jali transport will take a part of Gasabo district.
Lines in this corridor include Kinyinya-Downtwon via Nyarutarama, Kimironko-Downtown, Kacyiru-Downtown, Kinyinya-Kimironko, Musave-Kimironko via Azam, Batsinda-Kimironko, Masaka-Kimironko, Kabuga-Kimironko and Masizi-Kimironko,
Two new lines which could be a relief to passengers in Kigali could be Kimironko-Bumbogo and Gasanze-Birembo-Kinyinya.
Corridor F in Gasabo will have Shalom Transportation Ltd, Jali Transport Ltd, City Centre, Mberimfura Donatien, Iwacu Batty Ltd.
Its lines will include Batsinda-Downtown, Kimironko-Nyabugogo, Musave-Kimironko via Zindiro, Nyabugogo-Gakinjiro via Fawe and Batsinda, Batsinda-Nyabugogo, Batsinda-Downtown, Kimironko-Nyabugogo, Kinyinya-Nyabugogo via Utexrwa, Kinyinya-Dowtown via Utexrwa, and Gasanze-Batsinda-Nyabugogo.
Nyacyonga-Rutunga and Nyacyonga-Masoro are two new lines in this corridor.
City of Kigali and Ministers at the press conference
The last Corridor G in Nyarugenge has the biggest number of operators with five companies and one individual operator. They are Ritco Ltd, KBS, Volcano, Jali Transport, Remera Cooperative and Murinda Raphael.
Its lines are Nyamirambo(Irya Nyuma)-Downtwon, Nyamirambo-Kimisagara-Nyabugogo, Nyacyonga-Nyabugogo, Nyabugogo-Bishenyi, RP Nyamirambo-Mageragere, Karama(Norvege)-Nyabugogo, Nyabugogo-Downtown, Nyabugogo-Gihara, Nyabugogo-Kanyinya, Nyabugogo-Karuruma-Jali, Nyabyondo-Nyabugogo, Nyabugogo-Giticyinyoni, Karama-Rya Nyuma, Nyabugogo-Bweramvura, and Nyabugogo-Kanogo-Cyumbati
Meanwhile, private operators are free to go to Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority(RURA) to apply for more roads that were not planned in these corridors.
“They can go to RURA and comply with rules and regulations where they can for example fix their transport prices,” said Alain Mukurarinda, the Deputy Government Spokesperson who was the moderator of the day.
The Minister of Infrastructure recalled the background of Pubic Transport development since 2020 when the government put subsidies on the cost of transport.
In 2023, the government decided to buy buses and to offer them on flexible loans to transport operators to alleviate the increasing complaints on scarcity of buses.
One hundred buses were shipped and sold to operators, and another one hundred buses is expected, despite delays because they were supposed to arrive end of January 2024. ‘
Meanwhile, March 16 will also see subsidies in public transport halted where passengers will have to raise the whole amount of their ride.
The Minister of Infrastructure Dr. Jimmy Gasore said that issues in transport having been alleviated, the subsidies will be reoriented in fixing fuel prices, among other national priorities.
“We have shifted the subsidies to other areas,” Gasore said.
According to Samuel Dusengiyumva, Kigali has increased its fleet to 500 buses from 200 buses in 2021.
The buses serve 250,000 passengers every day during the week days and nearly 180,000 during the weekend.
