A privately owned market, to be able to accommodate at least 1,200 traders, will open by March in Kicukiro District, the proprietor, Louis Aboyezantije, said. Some traders seeking to operate from the market which is under construction in Kanombe Sector, told The New Times that the facility will come as a major relief to their business operations. “For a long time, our businesses have been affected not only during the rainy season, but also during dry spells,” said Solange Mukasingiza, a businesswoman. Local authorities say that in order to control or avoid overcharging by the proprietor, the two parties will negotiate and put in place regulatory framework that is mutually agreed upon to guide the pricing structure. The Mayor of Kicukiro District, Jules Ndamage, said that with a new modern market, retail business operators will be in a better organized place than before. “We are considering relocating all people operating in two archaic markets in the district. We have also given land to other developers to set up modern markets where these people have been operating from,” Ndamage said. The two markets to be relocated are the Kabeza and Kicukiro markets. The Mayor explained that the process will be gradual as a way of giving enough time to the business community to negotiate with the investor. Aboyezantije said that although people from other areas have a chance to operate from the new marketplace, those already operating in the mentioned markets stand more chances. “We shall work with local authorities to ensure those ready to operate from the market do it in an organized manner,” he said. grace.mugoya@newtimes.co.rw
