In a bid to increase television penetration in the country, the government has launched a special programme that seeks to facilitate affordable access to digital TV sets, especially in rural areas.

Dubbed ‘Tunga TV”, which literally means "Own a TV”, the initiative also aims at fast-tracking Rwanda’s aspiration to move from analogue to digital broadcasting while at the same time increasing the number of TV viewers countrywide.

The initiative was officially launched on Wednesday in Gisagara District, Southern Province with officials commissioning a TV viewing centre in Gishubi Sector.

The centre is equipped with a cable television, two computers connected to the internet as well as a fixed telephone to help people without mobile phones to make calls - equipment which were installed in partnership with the local telecom giant, MTN Rwanda.

At the occasion, the Minister of Youth and ICT, Jean-Philbert Nsengimana said the target is to have at least a TV viewing centre in every village across the country.

In the beginning, 700 viewing centres will be set up across the country, but their number will keep growing, officials said. The Ministry of ICT has partnered with a number of actors in the area of ICT to ensure the success of the initiative.