The Private Sector Federation (PSF) nationwide elections are set to be concluded next week on Wednesday by the election of the chair and vice-chairpersons at national level.

Elections at cell, sector, district, province, and Kigali city levels as well as representatives of five clusters formerly known as "Chambers” have been concluded.

The five clusters include the agriculture cluster, industry cluster, trade cluster, services cluster, and the special cluster, which includes women, young entrepreneurs, and people with disabilities, previously underrepresented.

Members of Private Sector Federation during the election in Kigali City on March 9. Photo: Courtesy.

This restructuring of clusters according to the spokesperson of PSF, Theoneste Ntagengerwa, "is meant to make the federation more inclusive and the categories will have representatives from the cell level up to the national level, unlike before where members were represented only at the national level”.

Those elected will replace the outgoing leadership, which was headed by Robert Bafakulera as Chairperson of PSF, who assumed office in 2018.

Felix Mutagoma, the in charge of elections at PSF, told The New Times that the elections were supposed to be held last year but were postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

All traders with registered businesses who have at least five-year experience doing business were allowed to elect or be elected.

The Executive Committee elected at the cell level comprises the chairperson, the first vice-chairperson, and the second vice-chairperson.

Mutagoma said that contrary to previous elections, the current special cluster has considered the inclusion of people with disabilities in addition to women and young entrepreneurs.

 "The special cluster now has three representatives who include one representative for women, one for youth, and one for people with disabilities,” he said.

A counsellor representing each village was elected in every cell across the country.

The PSF executive committee at the cell level also elected an experienced business person at the cell level.

At the sector level, the elected committee also comprises Chairperson, the first vice-chairperson, and the second vice-chairperson.

Contrary to cell level, three persons were elected at the sector level to represent each cluster of the five clusters (agriculture cluster, industry cluster, trade cluster, services cluster, and special cluster).

The most experienced business person was also at the sector level.

The elected executive committee at the district level is composed of the chairperson, the first vice-chairperson, and the second vice-chairperson.

Each of the five clusters at the district level is also represented by three people while in the specialized cluster women, youth, and people with disabilities groups are represented by one person each.

In the district, seven people in charge of dispute management were also elected.

At the provincial level and Kigali city, the elected executive committee comprises Chairperson, the first vice-chairperson, and the second vice chairperson while the five clusters are also represented by three people each.

An experienced business person was elected at this level.

At the national level, the elected executive committee comprises the first vice-chairperson and the second vice-chairperson.

Each cluster of five clusters at the national level will also have a chairperson, the first vice-chairperson, and the second vice-chairperson.

The most experienced business person will also be selected at the national level.

Ntagengerwa commented that; "Having representatives from the grassroots level to the national level with ease of management and in case of an issue, it will be easier to solve it from its grassroots causes.”

Meanwhile, Mutagoma revealed that members of the board at the national level have been reduced from 18 to nine.

Currently, the Federation groups together some 186,386 business operators.