With less than one month left before the commencement of the Commonwealth Heads of State and Government Meeting delegates arrive in Rwanda, for their meeting which is expected to merge over 5000 delegates in Rwanda. A lot is being done by the private sector to utilize and benefit from CHOGM 2022. The New Times’ Davis Higiro talked to some entrepreneurs on ways to make the most during the summit. With Rwanda’s consumption demand is expected to rise during CHOGM, Moses Turahirwa Founder of Moshions said people who are in business sector need to produce enough products to avoid scarcity of goods on the market “We should invest in products that are ready to be consumed, because there is a purchasing power coming, there’s a marketing power coming in, in all aspects of business.” CHOGM is expected to bring various kinds of people from different fields, in terms of marketing there needs to be proper evaluations, for people to use the right marketing strategies. “People need to identify who their target audience is, do proper assessment of people that CHOGM is bringing in and then do the right communications.” Says Moses Florence Mwashimba who has more than 15 years in Sales and Marketing and is the Founder of Kigali Farmers And Artisans Market, PIMA Zero-Waste shop and organizes CHOGM street festival in June 2022 said there are opportunities in all kinds of transportation and Logistics. “People will need cars, mottos, bicycles, taxis, you may not have a car but you will be able to create an application which resembles Uber, which people can reach out and request for cars to rent,” she said. Florence says there will be delegates who don’t have time to go around shopping and that would be an area of work. “Personal shoppers, people can use their transport modes to shop and deliver products for the delegates that do not have time to go around shopping,” she added. Florence, who is also in partnership with Intore entertainment, is hosting a street festival called ‘CHOGM STREET FESTIVAL’ which features SMEs Corporates, NGOs, Restaurants, Pop-ups in the newly revamped Imbuga Car Free Zone in the center of Kigali Town. She says people can also go Handmade because it has an exception of an African touch on it and also try out retail services which many of the delegates will be interested in Dr. Canisius Bihira, a Business expert warned the business community of unjustifiably raising prices. “Another thing about the quality of services. At times service providers receive customers with poor service,” he said. Isaac Nkusi, a Money Management Consultant says it’s not easy to start a new business now hoping to make to benefit from CHOGM because the time has gone “You need to prepare in advance, there are some opportunities you need to prepare for a long time before you miss the opportunity,” he said. Nkusi for the people who are already established have the chances to benefit from CHOGM, people need to first realize what needs to be solved, that can attract customers for example in preparing meals. “For those who are already established, they may need to increase their capacity, change their menu options, meet the appetites of the people who will be attending, if you can create the food they like,” he said. “Upgrade your furniture and your style, in consideration of the investment and return on investment you will make in CHOGM,” he added.
