Increasing Inflationary gap leaves city tenants crying foul

BY GEORGE KAGAME


As ever, in the 2008-9 financial year plan, the government has released well designed and eloquent graphs to be presented to the private, public and civil society sector financiers (read donors) seeking for the establishment of a housing scheme for low income earners in the country.

The plan targets increased cheap financing to the housing bank, encouraging the local production of construction materials, providing longer-term mortgage financing and so many other colourful words to have more houses in the city for people with small earning means.
The paradox of housing in Rwanda is so cloudy that while blue collar employees cry foul because of unscrupulous land lords for due to poor quality condos and exorbitant rent charges, many of these workers are employed in an unprecedented construction boom in Rwanda.

So as the blue collars finish their working day at Vision 2020 blocks mainly in Gasabo district they retire home to shanty townships in the neighbourhoods of Nyabugogo where they share single room condos with the ever present cousins visiting from the country. The new initiative by government comes years after the housing bank started a scheme catering for the Diaspora market. This market is largely responsible for turning Nyarutarama from a green to a concrete jungle it is slowly becoming now.

The blue collars, who spend their day in this area as moto drivers, journalists, guards and casual labourers are left to the machinations of Kigali's crafty landlords. Whose mastering of price discrimination is unrivaled.
After a long working day at one of the various printing shops in the city centre commonly known as "Imperimerie,' Sulambaya a city land lord and Kigali Notes Correspondent brings you a beer chat with three of his friends concerning the housing sector or lack of it in our great city.

Abilia: I think the best powerpoint presenters are found in this great country. I was very impressed by their recent work in Serena as they presented the housing scheme reforms to donors attending the development indicators meeting last week. The donors have eloquent graphs showing the success of the funds they have poured in the fight against this and that sector, while local government officials have even more brilliant presentations showing projects that need more funding and others still progress but speed slowed because one donor has not fulfilled his pledge.


Msafiri: You are very stupid Abilia, don't you know that the people who do their shopping at UTC are the same ones that employ us? If you and your fellow protesters disturb them who will pay us? Let me tell you, your problem is finding rent. Well, it is also my big problem but right now am more concerned about how i will make it watch Shaggy. The entrance fee is quite high it equals my monthly rent. I must make it to see Shaggy, don't make noise about your rent. Instead i will join you if you protest about the morphology of our houses. They are all built to resemble car garages. Why by the way?

Mwafaka: All government officials talk about is the rising inflationary gap, food fuel, airtime and everything else. Why don't they talk about rent? The government is more concerned with bigger projects than your fellow 'city houseless' mates. I have to stage a massive protest against my land lord, government and my neighbours. This protest will make the one in support of Kabuye look childish. Me and my fellow squatters-the ones that have no issues with neighbours-will shout and thereafter we will enter UTC and not go out. This will scare away the shoppers from entering the mall. The ones we trap inside we will lecture them about making laws that curtail the powers of landlords especially in regard to hiking rent.


Sulambaya: The reason Mwafaka is mad about land lords is because when he got his one room house the land lord insisted that he be a "Cilibateri" then he brought his charcoal selling girl friend later two days, then his big black cousin who also invited his wife. Now their house resembles an IDP camp. I wish i was his land lord, i'd not hike his rent, i'd also charge him rent per head in the house. With the increased rent returns i'd be able to increase my contribution to one of the Koperativus my family belongs to.