THE Rwf12.5 billion Treasury Bond (T-Bond) that was unveiled last week by the National Bank of Rwanda has generated a lot of interest among the public. According to the central bank, institutional investors like commercial banks, co-ops, insurance firms, micro-finance institutions and savings and credit cooperatives (Saccos), as well as individuals have all expressed interest in the T-Bond. This could be a result of the road shows that the bank has embarked on across the country to sensitise Rwandans about the benefits of investing in alternative sources of income. But the public should also be encouraged to invest in shares of the companies that have listed on the local bourse. It’s important that more Rwandans start investing in alternative sources of income like Treasury Bonds and buying company shares on the stock market. This will ultimately grow the financial sector. We need to build on the interest generated by the launch of the Treasury Bond to excite more people into participating in activities of the capital markets. Otherwise, BNR’s efforts to sensitise the public about financial markets will be in vain. It is critical that the central bank works closely with the Capital Markets Authority in these matters. It is a fact that the local bourse is not performing well partly because most Rwandans do not know how it operates and how they can benefit if they participated.
