How Huye business community is hardly recovering from Covid-19 effects

By Michel Nkurunziza.

Some business operators in Huye District, Southern Province say there is need for government efforts in easing traders’ working framework like some restrictions that hinder them to move forward.

They claim this as the country continues to enforce measures of combating the Covid-19 pandemic.

Leoncia Hategekimana, Eden Best Shop Ltd owner sells food and beverages. She said that the pandemic posed various effects on business operators but a step was made after the country gave a green light to some businesses that were closed due to the quick spread of the pandemic.

However she said clients reduced as the movements of people are not as normal as before the pandemic.

“Things are different comparing to the pre-pandemic situation, we are now happy that some businesses are open but clients reduced because they are no longer getting goods they used to get here, I cannot purchase many things because I do not expects many people to come as normal and my capital reduced too.” She said.

She said that the future can bring a good picture of business as long as she gets enough capital to revamp the working framework.

Hategekimana wishes that the government can fully open bars and restaurants to allow them trade at normal functionality.

The recovery fund

Hategekimana said that the recovery fund was given to some business operators and others did not access such facilities.

“They come and register people but they do not give the fund to all, they recently gave it to some traders but, I and other colleagues did not get it.” She said.

Hubert Ishimwe is a business operator at Abijuru Business Company Ltd in Huye Town. They offer photography, printing services and sell office equipment. He says that there is no change in working framework and business profitability as long as the pandemic is still around.

“There is a huge discrepancy between the number of clients who are coming here and the ones who used to come before the pandemic. We could have like 150 clients per day before but now only 40 clients can come per a day. I think we can return to normal when all the restrictions and hindrances of Covid-19 are over.” Ishimwe said.

Speaking to The Inspirer, Huye District Mayor, Ange Sebutege said that with the recent reduction of the quick spread of Covid-19 many businesses recovered because of the availability of the vaccines.

“I can say that life came to normal as citizens got the vaccines, with the variation of the pandemic in the country, it disrupted many activities of entrepreneurs who were working at 100 percent, now they work at 50 percent with the new measures to contain the spread of the pandemic. Some services were not operational last year but the majority of them are now operational despites existing challenges aligned to the pandemic. It affected trade and even small businesses, some of the interventions the government put in place include the business recovery fund where traders have opportunity to apply for this fund.” Sebutege said.

Sebutege said that over 108 traders in Huye district have already benefited from this fund and the initiative is ongoing to support more traders after the government injected more resources.

“To get this clear, traders are advised to go to SACCO and commercial banks to know the criteria to apply for this fund, the information on the fund is also available at the Business Development Fund (BDF) Huye Branch.

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