China is putting more than Rwf95 billion behind a major overhaul of the Prince House–Giporoso–Masaka road, in a project expected to significantly reshape one of Kigali’s busiest and most strategically important transport corridors.
The Rwf130 billion-plus project is being implemented through cooperation between Rwanda and China, with the Government of Rwanda contributing about Rwf35 billion.
The investment will transform the 10.4-kilometre corridor into a higher-capacity modern road designed to improve traffic flow, road safety and the movement of people and goods.
The project comes as Kigali continues to experience rising traffic volumes driven by population growth, expanding businesses and increased movement between the city centre, the airport, the Kigali Special Economic Zone and surrounding areas.
Before construction could begin, however, the government had to clear properties located within the road reserve.
More than 530 properties have been affected by the expansion, with over Rwf30 billion paid in compensation to property owners.
Yves Bahunde Havugimana, Urban Transport and Regional Integration Programme Manager at the Rwanda Transport Development Agency (RTDA), said the compensation was an essential step in creating the space needed for the new infrastructure.
“The objective is not simply to make the road wider. We are creating the infrastructure needed to support Kigali’s growth, improve mobility and make movement along this corridor safer and more efficient,” he said.
The upgraded corridor will include four-lane sections, a 1.2-kilometre flyover, underpasses, interchanges, bridges, improved drainage and street lighting.
The flyover is expected to play a central role in easing congestion around the Prince House–Giporoso section by allowing traffic movements to be separated instead of forcing vehicles into the same junctions.
The road is also an important link beyond Kigali.
It connects the capital with Masaka and routes towards the Eastern Province and the Rusumo border, making it significant for regional trade and the movement of commercial goods.
State Minister for Infrastructure Col. Claudien Bizimungu said successful implementation would require cooperation from residents, motorists, contractors and other stakeholders.
“We must work together to ensure that this project is completed within the planned timeframe and to the required standards. We also ask road users and residents to be patient and cooperate with the temporary traffic arrangements during construction,” he said.
The project officially entered its construction phase on August 30, 2026, with the works expected to take 30 months.
If construction proceeds according to schedule, the upgraded Prince House–Giporoso–Masaka corridor should be completed around February 2029.
During construction, motorists are expected to face temporary disruptions, particularly around busy sections of the corridor.
Authorities have encouraged road users to consider alternative routes through areas including Sonatube, Kabeza, Kimironko, Zindiro, Ndera, Gasogi, Kabuga and Kicukiro.
For businesses and communities along the road, the project represents both a period of disruption and a major change in the area’s future.
Some properties have already been demolished or relocated following the expropriation process, while businesses affected by the road expansion have had to adjust their operations.
Once completed, the project is expected to provide a substantially improved transport corridor capable of handling growing traffic demand while reducing delays at some of Kigali’s most congested junctions.
The Chinese financing also highlights the continued role of China in Rwanda’s infrastructure development, particularly in large-scale transport projects requiring substantial upfront investment.
With more than Rwf30 billion already spent on compensation and over Rwf130 billion committed to the wider construction project, the Prince House–Giporoso–Masaka upgrade is emerging as one of Kigali’s most significant road investments.
Its success, however, will ultimately be measured not by the scale of the money spent, but by whether the completed road delivers what commuters and businesses need most: faster journeys, safer roads and smoother movement across the capital and beyond.
