The City of Kigali authorities have addressed a few concerns brought to light by businesspeople who use tents for various events, for example, weddings and other gatherings.
Some business owners claim that their venues were pre-booked by customers who already paid to host events there, but the regulations to curb noise pollution, as put out by RDB on August 30, are "burdensome", "impeding the ability to operate efficiently", and "putting businesses in a loss."
Leon Aimable Manariyo, a local businessman, said, "I have been in this business for over a decade and I had everything required by the authorities. The fact that our venues host two days a week means that any problem our business may cause is easily manageable."
He added: "My colleague and I had a meeting with the City of Kigali authorities but nothing was affirmed regarding the ongoing unclear situation, and it is clear that soundproofing tents is impossible; however, they told us to operate over the weekend as they are working on it."
Manariyo mentioned that some of their clients are asking for a refund for the advance money. "We are operating under loss. The City of Kigali needs to consider this problem."
According to Pudence Rubingisa, the Mayor of Kigali City, the authorities are not prohibiting the use of tents or putting the events business at risk. Their aim is simply to uphold and adhere to the city's design and master plan.
Rubingisa mentioned that CoK is focusing on inspecting tent venues to guarantee their adherence to established regulations, such as noise pollution, proper ventilation, sanitation, adequate parking facilities, and the maximum capacity of occupants at any given time.
"The intention is to preserve the city's image by focusing not only on tents but also on other structures such as places of worship, offices, and residential houses."
Rubingisa emphasised that the decision is also in accordance with the implementation of noise pollution guidelines, which includes measures for soundproofing. The new noise pollution guidelines established clear decibel thresholds for public spaces, churches, hospitals, schools, and other areas.
"The next step is to approach business owners and remind them whenever they host weddings, events or meetings, that they are required to comply with rules and set standards to avoid any kind of disturbance to the residents when their activities are taking place," Rubingisa said.
He noted: "Yes, weddings can take place everywhere but there is no need to disturb people living around the venue."
Rubingisa advised individuals planning to establish a tent event in a specific location to obtain authorisation from the appropriate authorities. "This applies to all business owners," he emphasised. This, however, is still a problem, according to one Jean Damascene Rurangirwa.
Rurangirwa, the owner of Culture Green Square Park, said, "I acquired permission from the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) in 2010. Now authorities are forcing me to close the site yet I have legal documents and everything required.
"I provided all the required paperwork to the authorities to verify my permission allowing me to work there. So why should I shut down my business?" he added.
Mérard Mpabwanamaguru, the vice mayor in charge of urbanisation and infrastructure in the City of Kigali, clarified a potentially confusing issue. He explained that tent operators may need to meet different requirements depending on the location of their business and the number of people they can accommodate. "This is because locations vary. For instance, Niboye is different from Kinyinya or Gisozi suburbs."
He added: "A tent on a hillside is different from one at the base. Similarly, a tent located in a commercial area is not the same as one in a residential area. Therefore, people in these places have varying requirements when setting up their tents, taking into account factors such as the direction of rain, the travel of noise, and the sunlight.
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"In fact, residents of Kibagabaga complain about noise pollution from Kinyinya hill, but not from their nearby areas. This is because sound travels faster from a hill than it does from the base. Therefore, people should be aware of their surroundings and understand their responsibilities."
Regarding the losses incurred, he expressed, "Imagine having a business that fails to meet the necessary standards and has been causing issues for individuals. It is crucial to prioritise the safety of those impacted, not just the monetary losses."
He emphasised the need to take into account the well-being of those in the vicinity, stating that one should not prioritise money over these problems. He added that people should not feign ignorance of the issues they are causing.
