In yet another first for Eastern Africa, the city administration of Kigali, Rwanda’s capital, has announced the launch of a car-free zone in the Central Business District (CBD). An official went on record yesterday that initially three streets were going pedestrian next week and that an expansion was planned after the initial measure had been reviewed and assessed, to expand the scheme across the almost entire CBD.
Shuttles will, at the time the cars are banned, give access to the pedestrian zone from designated parking areas while the city administration was also going to create green areas within the car-free area.
The social media in Rwanda were predictably buzzing when the announcement was made, first dismissing it as a rumor, but when a formal notice was given, then taking issue with access to the businesses located in the CBD.
The move is reportedly contained in a master plan development for the city, which will make Kigali the first of the East African capitals with a dedicated inner-city pedestrian zone.
