HUYE - In a bid to give Butare town a new face, a new six-storey business complex expected to cost about Rwf5 billion is set to grace the town’s skyline, the Huye district Mayor has revealed.

Speaking during the closing ceremony of a five-day workshop for business owners, Mayor Francois Uhagaze revealed that the structure will be built by individuals under the cooperative Vision Complex Trade Limited, on a 1.5ha stretch of land within the town centre.

The Mayor called upon the business community in the district to buy shares in the cooperative, noting that the development of the town will be spearheaded by the private sector.

"The role of the private sector is crucial in the development agenda of the district; we encourage you to pull resources together through cooperatives so as to take on big development projects,” the Mayor said.

The drive to give Butare town a new face is bearing fruit according to district authorities.

A multimillion modern shopping complex built by local business persons under Ingenzi Cooperative is almost complete while many more building projects are in the offing.

"We are determined to make this town attractive for investment through construction of modern business facilities,” said Vincent Mutabazi, the head of Abisunganye Cooperative.

During the five-day workshop organised by the Private Sector Federation, participants were trained in business planning, risk management, customer care, marketing and finance.

A committee charged with mobilizing Huye businesspersons to be involved in the development of the district was set up at the end of the workshop.

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