All Rwandans who worked with the Burundian civil service will, by the end of this year, start receiving their pension packages, according to officials from the Social Security Fund of Rwanda, (SSFR).

The development was confirmed by the Director of Contributions and Benefits in SSFR, Oswald Munyandekwe, in an exclusive interview with The New Times, Thursday.

Rwandan professionals who served in various organs in Burundi have for years, been complaining that their pensions were inaccessible after they moved to Rwanda.

This was a result of a law in Burundi that prohibits any pensioner residing outside Burundi to access his or her benefits.

However, Munyandekwe said that they are currently in talks with their Burundian counterparts to see how the law can be amended to ensure that Rwandans get their due.

"I am absolutely sure that by the end of this year, they will have received their funds. We expect to hold a meeting with our Burundian counterparts in March and we will discuss this issue and come up with a solution,” Munyandekwe said.

He, however, emphasized that this only regards those who worked in the Burundian civil service and government institutions.

"It’s only those who worked in the civil service who have been having problems in accessing their allowances,” he said adding that those who were in private institutions getting their allowances without any inconveniences.
It’s estimated that between 1969 and 1999, at least 80% of Burundian civil servants were Rwandans.

Meanwhile 116 Burundians who reached retirement age of 55 years after working in Rwanda and returned to their country, share a pension estimated at Rwf7m every three months.

Over 2000 Rwandans who worked in Burundi are claiming their pensions.

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