WESTERN PROVINCE

RUBAVU — Continuous failures of the MTN network has affected business in Gisenyi, traders say. The latest significant interruption in the network was on April 4 when there was total failure.

According to traders who talked to The New Times, the problem left many of them counting losses because they could not communicate the whole day.

"This is unbelievable. I came from Kigali to pick my goods at the DR Congo- Rwanda border of Goma. The arrangement was to call my business partner from Goma and pick the goods at the border post because I did not have a passport to cross,” said Moses Mukasa a trader who had come from Kigali.

He added: "I have failed to tress him due to network failure. I can’t tell if he is on the Congolese side of the border, whether he is at grand or petit border or if he waited for me and left. I might drive an empty-hired car back to Kigali without my goods. You can imagine the loss,” he said.

The network failure also affected travelers who were in Gisenyi for the first time to visit friends and spend a weekend there.

In the evening hours, scores of travelers were seen stranded at the taxi park pondering their next move after they had failed to call their friends to pick them.

"I’m seriously stranded. It is my first time to be here [Gisenyi]. I was invited to spend a weekend at my friend’s home; but I really don’t know where to start the search since I expected to contact him on phone as soon as I reach here,” a visitor identified as Agnes Mutesi told The New Times at about 6.00 pm.

Many  of them were compelled to seek accommodation at various motels until the following morning when the network normalized.

This is the second time within a period of two months for Gisenyi to experience total network failure lasting over twelve hours, a problem which has often been common countrywide.

The MTN CEO Themba Khumalo, in a recent interview with reporters reassured customers that they were working hard to sort out the problem.

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