The Chairperson of the Private Sector Federation, Benjamin Gasamagera, has suggested that for Rwandan products to compete strongly against imports, the Government should give locally-made products, like construction materials and office equipment, preferential treatment during tendering processes.

Speaking at the opening of the second Made-in-Rwanda exhibition in Kigali, Gisamagara also called for enactment of a law that would compel public institutions to ensure that at least 50 per cent of products used in construction or in public offices are locally made.

Gasamagara’s ideas are not farfetched. If anything, stakeholders in the Made-in-Rwanda campaign should be asking why it has taken this long to envisage such profound ideas

As long as locally-made products are equall of high quality, then there is no reason to hesitate. Usually, the only excuse for procuring furniture, office equipment and construction materials from outside the country would be the need for quality or certain specifics. But the nation is being told under the Made-in-Rwanda campaign that locally-made products are competitive enough in terms of quality and many firms now meet specific needs of consumers of their products.

Like the Minister for Trade, Industry, and East African Community Affairs, François Kanimba, told the business community, the campaign to promote Made-in-Rwanda products is one of the strategies to bridge the import gap.

Kanimba said although the Government is dedicated to increasing exports, it was also aware that this can only be possible by devising strong programmes that target improving on productivity of local industries.

Made-in-Rwanda is not a pipe dream, it is a reality. With more effort put in to ensure quality production, there is no reason the law on tendering cannot be revisited to give preference to local products. Such would be a vote of confidence in our own products.