Cup of excellence winner: The story of Vincent Ngarambe

PAULUS KAYIGGWA meets Vincent Ngarambe, the General Manager of Multisector Investment Group ltd, (MIG Ltd) that won the best award for the cup of excellence (coffees) competition recently. “To have three lots in the first ten lots whichwere short-listed from all competitors around the country, make me feel happy. But it’s a challenge because I have to maintain the quality,” Ngarambe said in an interview last week. “It was beyond human expectation for this achievement and I am determined to further improve the Rwandan coffee.” “You must be a happy man,” I tell him. He smiles and says: “Experience and hard work made us achieve the award.” He says the idea of starting the MIG Ltd was handed to him by President Paul Kagame, who argued that the former province of Gikongoro had the most skilled personnel who could start a company that could reduce poverty in the areaNgarambe was born in 1957 to late Apollinaine Sebaganwa and Bernadette Nyiramararame. He is the first born in the family of six children. He joined Ecole primary school in Gishungo and later Petit Seminaire for his seventh year in Mugera-Burundi. Later, he went to the College of Notre dame in Gitega- Burundi where he attained a certificate in humanities in 1979. “Besides this, I have had various trainings in seminars and workshops that have greatly widened my knowledge,”says Ngarambe. In 1981, Ngarambe obtained a diploma in preparatory science, specializing in agricultural engineering at the National University of Burundi and later got a degree in soil and water conservation in 1984. Ngarambe pursued his studies further until 1994 when he got a PhD in excusive science in soils. In 1995, he was appointed the director of soil conservation in rural areas of in Rwanda, a positioned he held for over ten years. He was also the co-coordinator and participant in research that brought harmony to both Rwandans and Burundians living along the two country’s boarder. “I was part of the group that formulated several agricultural projects in the country among which PASR, PSTA, PDL-HIMO that supports the rural agricultural sector,” he recalls. Ngarambe also explained that he fully participated in different commissions in elaboration of different national policies which includes vision 2020, national agricultural strategy and the rural economic strategy. “I also worked with Swiss project in Burundi for seven years where water and land conservation was their domain and I was responsible with everything concerning livestock not only in Burundi but also in Rwanda.” Besides being General Manager of the Multisector Investment Group, he works as the Vice president of Rwanda Development Authority (RADA) and the president of the Rwanda national commission. Ngarambe is married to Emma Ugabakazi and together, they have four children. He says the Multisector Investment Group, plans to start a tea factory in Nyamagabe district early next year. “We have 4000actre of tea and the site for factory location is ready and we are now in serious negotiations with the PTA bank for a loan worth $ 7 million. We want to bring development to Southern districts.” Ngarambe spends his free time with his family. “I used to play foot ball but because of age, I abandoned it,” he adds. “I love Barack Obama as a black person who has came up to challenge not only Americans but the world as whole.” Ends