Minicom clamps down on businesses

SOUTHERN PROVINCE MUHANGA — The Ministry of Commerce Trade and Industry (Minicom) on Tuesday fined traders and closed down a couple of businesses that flouted the operational requirements set for business enterprises within Muhanga and Rohango districts. The clampdown followed an inspection of several businesses by a team of officials from the ministry, led by one Godence Mukamurenzi. A total of 174 businesses were examined within Muhanga and Ruhango districts and as a result 32 traders were fined. Most traders panicked as the team stormed various shops demanding for trading certificates, tax invoices and to verify whether they displayed price tags for their products. The trade laws passed in 2001 require all business operators to be registered by government, while requiring such entities to obtain trading certificates. The businesses are also required to have printed invoices and put price tags displayed on their products. Businesses that violated these requirements were fined penalties ranging between Rwf.20, 000 and 200,000; depending on the nature of business under question. Those who were fined have a week to have either paid the penalties or are required to submit their complaints to the ministry. Some traders pleaded ignorance in the face of such legal provisions and asked for forgiveness, while others argued that they were new entrants and had not raised enough money to meet all the requirements. Gerard Rutayisire, an Internet operator in Nyamabuye told the officials: “I don’t know about the registration requirement as we had not been sensitised over this issue,” adding, that the ministry conducted a very unfair campaign as it doesn’t care about the needs of undertaking start operations. However, Mukamurenzi offered a different opinion saying that the exercise follows last year’s countrywide sensitisation campaign and training of business operators by the ministry on the law governing domestic trade in Rwanda. Ends