Kirehe: Officials move to restore power, sanitation at Rusumo cross-border market

Kirehe District officials say they are working to restore power and improve sanitation at Rusumo Cross-Border Market in order to revive business activity at the facility. The move follows complaints from traders who say they have spent three weeks without electricity, leaving them unable to fully run business. The market, which was completed in 2022 at a cost of Frw4 billion, currently has only a few traders despite having many vacant stalls. The district's leadership says it is are also reviewing how the market operates, including plans to allow vehicles to park inside it, in addition to connecting the facility to the broader planned upgrade of the Rusumo border area. “We are also looking at how the market can be used better, including allowing vehicles to park inside. We are linking this with the broader upgrade of the border area so that more activities can come into the market,” said Bruno, Rangira, Kirehe district mayor. The delay, according to the officials, stems from the ongoing process of handing the market over to a private operator, who requested additional prepaid electricity metres after finding out that the entire market relied on a single meter. “The market has only one cash power metre. We are in the process of adding more metres and addressing the electricity issue that traders have been facing,” Rangira said. The transition also left the market without cleaners, worsening sanitation problems. Ernest Sibomana, who trades in rice imported from Tanzania, said the power shortage has forced him to move his EBM machine to another location with electricity, increasing costs and slowing his business. “The district used to buy electricity for us, but it stopped. I had to move my EBM machine elsewhere where there is power. I buy rice and then pay someone to issue EBM receipts from another place, which makes business difficult,” he said. Claire Uwizeyimana, who manages the premises said the blackout has also affected service providers who rely entirely on electricity to operate. “We have spent three weeks without electricity and that means we cannot work. It has caused losses. The market is also dirty because cleaners stopped coming after the market was handed over, she said. During a visit to the market, leaders from the Private Sector Federation pledged to advocate for a quick solution. “We will push for solutions so that more traders can come here and the market can have more products beyond rice,” said Francis Gakuba, the first vice chairperson of the federation. According to mayor Rangira, the district expects the electricity and sanitation issues to be resolved within this month.

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Kirehe: Officials move to restore power, sanitation at Rusumo cross-border market