KARONGI - Traders of different food stuffs in Kibuye town have been accused of illegally increasing prices. A number of residents, who spoke to The New Times yesterday, said the problem has been escalating and appealed to the district officials to fix the matter.

‘These traders fix prices the way they want. You buy a kilogram of rice at Rwf700 today and then tomorrow you find it has upped to Rwf800.’ Jean Aime Ntwari, a daily customer in Kibuye market said.

Currently, a kilogramme of rice from Bugarama (Cyangugu) is Rwf600, Pakistan rice is at Rwf750 and rice from Tanzanian is quoted at Rwf700. Irish potatoes are Rwf130, while a kilogramme of beans is Rwf280.

According to Alice Mugwaneza, another customer in the market, prices would change in a period of a week.

"They (traders) fix these prices for a short period. To morrow you will find a kilogram of rice that was at Rwf700 when is pushed to Rwf800 and even beyond,” she complained.

However, when asked Samuel Munyemana, a rice trader, refuted allegations saying his items’ prices are always the same. Mugwaneza later admitted that there might be some factors that can determine price increases.

"I have never been implicated in that business of increasing prices the way I want but some factors like transport fares can determine this increase,” he said.

Ends