Rwanda Cooperative Agency (RCA), has taken over the ongoing restructuring of the commuter transport association (Atraco), with the aim of turning it into a profit-making entity, The New Times can report.

Several auditing firms had submitted proposals to restructure ATRACO, after bids were called for, however, according to the president of Atraco, Col. (rtd) Ludovic Twahirwa alias Dodo, there was no value for them since the association is in the process of turning into a cooperative entity.

The restructuring move was a recommendation of the Ministry of Local Government after allegations of mismanagement of the association were forwarded to President Paul Kagame’s, during his visit to Nyabugogo Taxi Park, five months ago. 

According to the ministry officials, it was revealed that there was need to restructure Atraco and turn it into an organized entity in line with the current national policies, which would also help solve the problems within the organisation.

"Everything now is in the responsibility of Rwanda Cooperative Agency; they are training the association’s leaders on the management, in an effort to make it more organized,” said Dodo. "And, by the way, we are planning to launch it as a cooperative society on December 29.”

When contacted, the Director of Planning of Cooperative Capacity Building at RCA, Vicente Rutaremera, confirmed the development and said RCA will provide guidance in terms of management as well as supervising the transformation process.

"As you may be aware, Atraco has bee a non-profit entity, and in order to change into a profit- making entity, it has to go through a lot in the management structure, and to fully follow the rules governing cooperative societies,” Rutaremara explained.

The association, with about 1,684 members, has in the past been marred by accusations and counter-accusations between its members and the leadership.

It also emerged that a census of the actual members of the association would be carried out soon. This is expected to facilitate the distribution of assets and liabilities after the transformation process.

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