Rubavu town officials have warned street vendors to adhere to regulations and move their businesses to authorised markets.

The influx of hawkers in the tourism and business town has become a growing concern, with vendors choosing to operate on the streets, highlighting reasons that include lack of enough capital.

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Rubavu town is shared by Rubavu, Gisenyi, and Nyamyumba sectors and, according to officials, street vendors from the three areas have consistently increased in numbers, ignoring the available public markets.

According to Deogratias Nzabonimpa, the Vice Mayor in charge of Economic Development in Rubavu District, businesses should be conducted in line with the law. He made it clear that street vending is illegal and urged vendors to operate from authorised market facilities.

"They [street vendors] are advised to do their business from either public or private markets or other commercial buildings. Those who are still working from the streets should remember it is illegal,” said Nzabonimpa.

In an effort to support small-scale business traders with limited capital, Rubavu and Gisenyi sectors initiated programmes to provide training and financial assistance.

Women in Rubavu, who make up majority of the street vendors, were given capital to help them stop street vending.

Official figures from this sector show that about 328 street vendors were supported to relocate from streets in 2024.

"There are some people, mainly women, with very limited capital, even though a poor mindset is also a challenge,” said Harerimana, discussing the present challenges. "Again, given the geographical location of this area, the population tends to do businesses the way it is done in DR Congo.”

Harerimana considers joint efforts towards addressing the problem as a long-term solution for hawkers in Rubavu town, but admits that proper records and numbers should be urgently recorded. Exact figures of street vendors in the town are not available.

In Gisenyi Sector, about 150 women were trained and provided with Rwf50,000, each, as starting capital. Devota Kamanzi, one of the beneficiaries, believes the support is likely to change their livelihoods.

Despite these efforts, some women like Josiane Uwineza and Chaselyn Ingabire continue to sell fruits and vegetables on the streets out of necessity. They face challenges such as lack of capital and the constant risk of navigating through traffic. These women are determined to provide for their families, even if it means enduring the hardships of street vending.

"I get these fruits on loan, but I wish I could join other women groups who were former street vendors when I get more money,” said Uwineza, a mother of four, from Nyambumba Sector, on the outskirt of Rubavu town.

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For her to be allowed into the women groups, she must have at least Rwf20,000 to Rwf30,000.

"We don&039;t have any other choice because it's not easy to get capital so that I can open up a small shop for bananas,” added Ingabire, 31, a mother of four in Rugerero, who highlighted the same challenges.

"When I don’t come here (to the street), we don't eat; we sleep on an empty stomach and wait for tomorrow.”