The public will now  have an additional means of sending and receiving money from abroad and within the country after the National Post Office (NPO) announced plans of starting money transfer services.

According to the Director General of the NPO, Celestin Kayitare, the latest service in postal activities will see improvement in service delivery based on competition as well as an increase on the profit margin.

"Currently, our clients in Rwanda are able to send and receive money from Tanzania. We have also signed the Memorandum of Understanding with other 7 African countries where the service will soon kick off,” Kayitare said in an exclusive interview.

He added that, "This service is being started within East Africa countries, and gradually be taken continental and finally to worldwide operations.”

The official explained that people will be able to send and receive money from post office outlets in countries that subscribe to the Universal Postal Union, hence putting post offices at same working levels.

The countries where the service is soon kicking off include Uganda, Kenya, Burundi, Djibouti and Mauritius.
Kayitare  expressed concern over private courier service providers that operate illegally, saying that the institution looses about 40 percent of it’s annually profits due to such operations.

The post office currently operates under the 1992 law that gives it monopoly in the courier service for 30 years. It provides services including distribution of mails and packages from within and abroad, stamps and managing mailing addresses for the public. It also offers forex exchange and internet services among others. 

Kayitare pointed out private transport companies including Okapi, Virunga, Atraco and Sotra Tours as companies involved in money transfer illegally.

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