Every rainy day meant another loss for traders selling fruits, vegetables and other goods along Nyagatare's roadsides. A sudden downpour could soak their merchandise, and on other days, enforcement operations could force them to pack up before making enough sales. Today, many of those former street vendors say that uncertainty has been replaced with stability after relocating to modern markets built by Nyagatare District. The change has been driven by investments in market infrastructure, including the Rwf143 million Mirama Modern Market, which traders say has provided them with a secure place to work, reduced business losses and enabled them to expand their operations. Before moving here, rain would destroy our goods, and we could be asked to leave the streets at any time. Now we have permanent stalls, customers know where to find us, and we earn more than we used to, said Euphrasie Mukandamage, a former street vendor in Nyagatare. Harriet Murekatete, who has been operating from Mirama market for two months, said moving into a formal trading space has given her the confidence to invest more in her business. Previously, I sold my goods by the roadside, always worried they could be confiscated because street vending is illegal. That limited how much capital I was willing to invest. Today, I have increased my working capital because I know my goods are safe, she said. According to Nyagatare District officials, the construction of markets and selling points is part of a broader strategy to organise trade, create jobs, strengthen small businesses and expand the district's local revenue base. Nyagatare District Vice Mayor in charge of Economic Development, Gonzague Matsiko, said the district has significantly expanded trade infrastructure over the past five years. Since 2021, we have constructed 11 selling points, three mini-markets and two cross-border markets to improve the business environment across the district, he noted. He added that the facilities have encouraged traders to operate from designated business spaces, making towns cleaner and more organised while creating better conditions for businesses to grow. The improved business environment enabled Nyagatare District to exceed its own-source revenue target for the 2025/26 fiscal year, achieving more than 100 percent of the planned collections, he said. Matsiko said the district is now working with the private sector through public-private partnerships to develop additional markets and selling points while improving the management of existing facilities to ensure traders continue operating from them. Our goal is not simply to move people off the streets, he said. It is to create business spaces where traders can grow, customers can shop conveniently and the local economy can continue expanding. The vice mayor urged the residents benefiting from the established selling points and mini markets, to have a sense of ownership and protect the infrastructure.
