Officials to form consumer protection body

SEVERAL officials in public and private institution Friday backed a proposal by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of East African Community Affairs, Robert Ssali, to create a Consumer Protection Association. Ssali was briefing the officials on the challenges of the EAC Common Market and Customs Union Protocols. Issues such as relentlessly increasing prices were central to the idea’s genesis since participants wondered why a Customs Union was already running, and goods are coming from the bloc at a zero tariff rate yet this has not translated into reduced prices as expected. “Let’s start small and first look at the legal requirements and others and then start this. This is not something that we are starting, other countries have it,” Ssali said, offering to be the vice chairman of a pioneer committee.Brekmans Oscar Bahizi, an economist and Vice Rector of Administration and Finance at the Institute of Legal Practice and Development (ILDP) in Nyanza, volunteered to be chairman, Access Bank’s Christine Biraro the Public Relations Officer of Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency (RURA), Devote Rwabikumba, also accepted to be on the committee. “Sometimes, prices just continue going up but who protects us? This is a way to fight for our rights as consumers. It is our opportunity,” Charles Gakwaya Lwanga, the Director for Planning and Research at Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) said after agreeing to be the body’s Secretary. The session organized by the Ministry of East African Community Affairs explored at length the bloc’s Common Market and Customs Union Protocols as well as its integration process, projects and programs. to confront the bloc. Ends