Rwanda’s transport infrastructure agency on Thursday defended the use of 392 million Rwandan francs ($285,000) spent on temporary repairs to the Rusizi–Bugarama road, after lawmakers questioned whether the work reflected value for money during a parliamentary review of public spending.
The issue was raised before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which is examining findings from the Auditor General on alleged irregularities in public expenditure across 76 government institutions in the 2024–2025 fiscal year.
Lawmakers questioned the Rwanda Transport Development Agency (RTDA) over why sections of the road remain in poor condition despite the intervention, saying some stretches are still difficult for both motorists and pedestrians.
RTDA Director General Imena Munyampenda said the funds were used for emergency maintenance on the most affected sections of the road while the government awaits full rehabilitation.
“We identified the most affected sections and filled them with laterite while addressing potholes in other areas,” he said.
Munyampenda said the agency is often constrained by limited budgets, noting that RTDA had requested about 120 billion Rwandan francs for road maintenance but received significantly less.
He said laterite works are a temporary solution that deteriorates quickly under heavy traffic, often requiring reapplication within about two months.
Lawmakers challenged the approach, questioning why short-term repairs were used when more durable methods exist that can last six to 12 months.
In response, Munyampenda said permanent rehabilitation requires heavy machinery and higher-grade materials that exceed available funding. He added that some roads are already severely degraded by the time maintenance begins, increasing repair costs.
He said the Rusizi–Bugarama road is expected to undergo full asphalt rehabilitation starting in January 2027.
RTDA is also being questioned over maintenance spending on 17 other road projects, with officials citing budget constraints and delays in fund disbursement as key challenges affecting implementation.
