Trust Freddy
Herald Correspondent
THE visiting Rwandan delegation on Wednesday paid a courtesy call on the Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities, Professor Paul Mavima, to benchmark Zimbabwe’s housing delivery systems.
The three-member delegation is in the country for six days under the Memorandum of Understanding on housing development signed in Kigali.
The delegation is being led by Rwanda Housing Authority Deputy Director General Mr Nsanzineza Noel.
He is accompanied by the Head of Social and Affordable Housing Development Mr Ahabwe Emmanuel and Senior Urban Development Economist and Focal Point for the MOU Mr Kananga Eric.
Speaking at the meeting, Mr Nsanzineza said the visit will focus on learning across the housing value chain.
“Partnership and cooperation are the crowns of nations in terms of the provision of sustainable housing,” he said.
“Our mission here will be for about six days and we will be visiting different construction sites that are ongoing to provide housing to Zimbabweans.
“We will also have interactions with different corporates, different departments and ministries where we will be able to share experiences on how we deal with the provision of housing.”
He said they will look at construction materials, financing, private sector partnerships and maintenance.
On Rwanda’s financing model, Mr Nsanzineza said the Government is using Public Private Partnerships (PPPs), where it subsidises public infrastructure such as internal roads, land, electricity and water to lower the cost of housing.
“Government also looks at possibilities to reduce interest rates for both the developers and the buyers. Currently the financing model we are using is a PPP kind of scheme, but we are looking at possibilities of creating a National Housing Fund,” he said.
He said Rwanda requires about 150 000 dwelling units per year. Minister Mavima said the MOU enshrines peer learning between the two countries.
“We value Rwanda, just like we value other African countries that have been identified in the delivery, especially of social housing,” he said.
Prof Mavima said Zimbabwe wants to learn from Rwanda’s well-functioning housing development corporation as it redevelops the Urban Development Corporation (UDCORP), as well as its financing models for social housing for low-income groups.
He said lessons from Rwanda, Botswana and Kenya will help shape new legislation for UDCORP.
The minister said Zimbabwe will also share its Human Settlements Policy and its approach guided by the mantra Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo.
“There are quite a number of housing estates that they will be able to see. There is Dzivaresekwa Extension, Madokero and Knock Mallock,” he said, adding the projects will expose the delegation to Government and private sector delivery models and new technologies including bio-digesters and localised water systems.
The delegation was accompanied by officials from the Embassy of Rwanda in Harare.
