Members of the Private Sector Federation (PSF) in Gakenke District have pooled resources to set up multimillion key infrastructure projects in the district. The business community says the district’s main trading centre is too small and the buildings are all dilapidated. The district also has no decent hotel while traders are also struggling to find modern office space to do business. The move should be applauded because poor infrastructure has affected the development pace in the district. With this new initiative, it is hoped that the district will be able provide good accommodation for visitors and decent office space for the business community. The members will construct a three-storey commercial building which will host businesses and a conference hall among other amenities at a cost of Rwf800 million. Also, a hotel worth Rwf 300 million will be constructed by a consortium of mining associations operating in the district. This initiative is long overdue, and other districts across the country should pick a leaf from the Gakenke business community. To set up such big projects is a very expensive venture for individuals, and thus pulling resources helps to raise funds that otherwise would not be possible for one as an individual. It is also easier to get credit from banks as a group as opposed to individuals, when trying to access large sums of credit for big infrastructure development projects. What the members of Gakenke private sector community are doing is a homegrown solution, which should be replicated in other local communities across the country. While government has done a lot in terms of infrastructure development, the role of the private sector in complementing these efforts is crucial. In the second Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy, infrastructure development is high on the agenda, and achieving this goal will depend largely on the role of the private sector at the grassroots level.
