More 600 households in Rurembo cell in Rugera sector Nyabihu district were recently connected to the national power grid. When Business Times visited the area last week, residents were busy operating a number of activities that require power, including agro-processing, welding and metal works, salons business and secretarial bureaus.
More 600 households in Rurembo cell in Rugera sector Nyabihu district were recently connected to the national power grid. When Business Times visited the area last week, residents were busy operating a number of activities that require power, including agro-processing, welding and metal works, salons business and secretarial bureaus. The residents said access to electricity will improve their incomes and living conditions.
Commenting on the development, Cyprien Mugiraneza Rubera, the executive secretary of Rurembo cell, urged residents to look beyond lighting homes.
"People should think about starting income-generating projects using electricity…there is a lot one can do with power. So, I encourage our people to think of businesses they can set up using electricity to improve their earnings and livelihoods,” Mugiraneza said.
The new power line will be officially launched in August, according to Mugiraneza.
Gerard Baragahoranye, a resident of the cell, said he is planning to establish a small metal works business at his town house. He said "I have dreamt of owning a metal workshop since childhood. Therefore, I will use some of my savings to start a welding business since we now have power,” he said.
He noted that the business will complement his farming activities to boost the family income.
For Celestin Niragire, 25, he will venture in electronics repair.
"I learnt electronics and telecommunications in school, but I couldn’t use the knowledge since it requires electricity to do that. Now that we are connected to the national power grid, I will establish an electronics repair workshop for television sets, radio receivers and mobile phones,” he said.
Marcel Emmanuel Ntawibyara, a teacher, said he will use electricity to do a side job to complement his salary.
"Sometimes it is not easy for teachers to carry out other businesses since we don’t have a lot of free time as we need to do lesson plans daily. However, since our cell now has power, I believe it will be possible to make my lesson plans and also do a business,” he said.
About 22 per cent of Rwandan households access power, with the government targeting 70 per cent by 2017.
The country’s current installed power capacity is about 155MW, but looks to more than triple this to 563MW in three years’ time.
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