Rusizi: Stalled Market Worth Over 400 Million Frw Remains Unused for Over a Year

By The Inspirer writer.

An international market built for the residents of Gikundamvura Sector in Rusizi District has been unused for over a year, as traders who once operated there have left due to a lack of customers. They are now calling on the district to resolve this issue.

The market, located in Rusarabuye Village, Mpinga Cell, Gikundamvura Sector, was initially frequented by residents from the sectors of Bugarama, Muganza, Nyakabuye, as well as people from Burundi and Congo, who were affected by the collapse of the Rubyiro bridge and the deterioration of the Bugarama–Butare road.

One of the traders, now known as Gatera, told Imvaho Nshya, “The market was built to solve the problem of finding a marketplace for Gikundamvura residents, who had abundant harvests of cassava, vegetables, and fruits that would go to waste due to the lack of a selling point.”

He added that when the market first opened in 2022, it was bustling with over 150 traders and operated two days a week. Now, it is barely used, with only small groups of up to six people occasionally selling beef on Fridays, struggling to sell even one cow due to the lack of buyers.

Niyigira Thomas, a leader among the traders, told Imvaho Nshya that the market cannot be said to be operational, as even on Fridays when meat is sold, there are no buyers, and the market remains closed the rest of the week.

“What’s particularly disheartening is that the market, which cost the government over 400 million Frw, continues to deteriorate. We found that the five water tanks there had been vandalized, there are no security guards, and no cleaners, rendering it useless to the residents it was meant to serve,” he lamented.

To restore the market’s functionality, Niyigira suggested urgent actions, including repairing the Rubyiro bridge and the Muganza-Gikundamvura road.

Habimana Alfred, the Vice Mayor for Economic Development of Rusizi District, stated that they are committed to addressing all the issues affecting the market to ensure it operates effectively.

“We will address the need for security guards and cleaners. Those who vandalize infrastructure should know that if caught, they will not be tolerated and will be held responsible for any damage. The market must serve the residents for whom it was built, and we will follow up on all issues to ensure it becomes operational again,” he affirmed.

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