On Friday, February 10, ConsTruck Limited, a subsidiary of NPD Limited, launched new machinery that will boost capacity in implementing the Kigali Infrastructure Project that covers 215KMs.
The new machinery includes 31 earth moving machines and 10 dump trucks, as well as an additional 20 dump trucks that are currently in transit, in this first phase. Altogether, the new equipment is worth Rwf 7.3bn. More are expected in the second phase.
ConsTruck owns, on top of these, 106 heavy duty machines including bulldozers, excavators, wheel loaders, backhoe loaders, motor graders, asphalt paver machines, pneumatic compactors, soil compactors, forklifts, among others, in addition to 129 trucks.
During the event held to officially inaugurate the new equipment at ConsTruck's offices in Jabana, Lambert Nyoni, the Managing Director of ConsTruck, said: "This new equipment will help us in the journey of developing infrastructure, one of the key pillars for fast and sustainable development of our country." Currently, ConsTruck employs 252 workers and the number is set to rise to 340 after the arrival of the new equipment.
"Alongside NPD, we pledge to prove that infrastructure development is an area that Rwandans have developed capacity and specialty in execution. We want to show everyone that Rwandans can do and excel at it" he added.
Speaking at the launch, Yves Nshuti, the Managing Director of NPD Limited expressed gratitude to the government of Rwanda for the commitment to developing infrastructure in Rwanda.
He added: "Today we are commissioning different equipment - machines and trucks that will boost our capacity implementing the Kigali Infrastructure Project, where we are constructing 215km of tarmac roads, comprising 57 different roads in Kigali." He noted that the new equipment will not only benefit the Kigali Infrastructure Project, but also other upcoming projects in the country.
Merard Mpabwanamaguru, the Vice-Mayor in charge of Urbanisation and Infrastructure at the City of Kigali said: "The Kigali Infrastructure Project is something for which the residents of the city are expectant, because it will improve their standard of living. It will especially contribute to the city's economy as well as that of the country in general given that roads are a catalyst for development."
The Minister of Infrastructure, Ernest Nsabimana said: "When you look at the ambitions that this country has, I believe the time was ripe to get such equipment. We have several projects coming up and we are excited that Rwandans are able to take up such monumental projects that boost our economy, create jobs and ease movement of goods and services."
Kigali infrastructure project
The Kigali Infrastructure Project (KIP) is scheduled to build 215 km of road and bridge network within the City of Kigali. The project will reduce congestion, boost trade through improvement of road network and contribute to beautification of the City.
The project will be executed in six (6) phases during a period of four (4) years from 2021 to 2025. Being the first of the kind, the project has so far created over 1000 direct and indirect jobs and boosted the economy by enabling Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise to contribute to the success of the project.