The Rwanda Private Sector Federation (PSF) has come under heavy criticism by the business community in the Southern Province over the lack of strong advocacy programmes in the region.In a meeting held on Monday in Huye District, it was observed that the business community was getting “no interest” out of its membership in PSF.The businesses want PSF to be much more active in helping them to develop efficient business plans, secure loans in banks and stand with them whenever anyone violates their rights. “We are not receiving any support from the Federation. From business plan development to implementation, we are not supported. We do it by ourselves,” lamented Emmanuel Muvunyi, a businessman in Nyanza District.“When we need their support, like advocating for us in case it is necessary, we do not get it. We needed their assistance in securing loans but they have never been supportive. May be they are doing it in urban areas, but we have never seen them down here at the district or sector level”.“We just hear about it [PSF]. We do not really see its importance for us.” The traders allege that it is disheartening to hear the federation help traders elsewhere, while they remained sidelined.“We want the Private Sector Federation to be more active in offering support to its members. We want to see its presence in all our activities, not just hearing about it when there are meetings. It is the Federation’s responsibility to come up with new ideas on how to help its members grow. We are ready to work within the Federation and to support its activities,” said Francois Rugerinyange.They also decried the lack of information on PSF’s activities, which they said affects them as members of the federation.They asked for more PSF assistance in business plan development, implementation and capacity building programmes.According to Francois Rutayisire, the PSF chairman in the Southern Province, efforts are underway to be more active in supporting its members.He observed that the Federation intends to decentralise its activities and to improve its approach to make its members more participative.“We have always been involved with the government in sorting out our members’ queries. We have been advocating for their rights, but the problem was that all our actions were somehow centralised. Now we are changing the approach to make local committees more active,” Rutayisire said.“We want information to originate from sector-based committees upward to the national level.”Monday’s meeting discussed ways of involving sector and district-based PSF committees in advocating for its members.The participants also agreed on a three-month performance contract to focus mainly on human resources empowerment, skills development, capacity building and sensitisation on PSF activities.
