The Civil Engineering Contractor April 2018 | Page 11

INFRASTRUCTURE AFRICA
EAST AFRICA
RWANDA
More efforts needed to protect swamps
in urban areas
According to the Global Growth Institute, the current growth rate
average of Rwanda’s urban population is 4.5%, far above the world’s
average of 1.8%.
Urban population in Rwanda is projected to increase to 35% by
2024 in the City of Kigali and six other secondary cities developed
as hubs of growth and centres of non-agricultural economic
activities, according to official figures. The designated secondary
cities are Huye, Muhanga, Nyagatare, Rubavu, Musanze, and Rusizi.
Speaking during World Wetlands Day, officials raised a concern
that this exponential growth of cities is in parallel with the decline of
wetlands and it calls for stringent measures by all players to ensure
the ecosystem is protected.
Globally, more than 64% of the wetlands have been lost since
1900, according to the officials. In Rwanda, for instance, 50% of
the wetlands in the City of Kigali have lost their ecological qualities.
According to a survey conducted by Rwanda Environment
Management Authority (REMA) in July 2017, there are over 2 078
establishments around the city that encroached on wetlands, consisting
of commercial buildings, public facilities, and residential houses.
Coletha Ruhamya, director general of REMA, says that urban
wetlands in Rwanda face pressure, especially with pollution
resulting from dumping soil, solids, and wastewater, as well as
illegal infrastructures, illegal mining, and illegal cutting of grass,
among others.
Ruhamya added: “As urbanisation increases, along with large
amounts of natural resources for survival, water consumption and
waste management, among others, will exponentially increase and
cause irreversible damage to the environment, especially urban
wetlands,” and urged everybody to adopt actions that help to
conserve and restore urban wetlands to make cities sustainable in
the future. “Well-managed urban wetlands ensure communities are
resilient to climate change and disaster risk,” Ruhamya said.
Source: The New Times
In Rwanda, 50% of the wetlands in the City of
Kigali have lost their ecological qualities.
CEC April 2018 - 9