SOUTHERN PROVINCE Residents of Muhanga have complained over the absence of the Muhanga-Kenya trading exposition, which has usually meant long moments of cheap shopping and perusing.This year, though, the Kenyans did not appear in Muhanga. The event is held a week before the Rwanda Trade Exposition in Gikondo. “Kenyans missed out this year without any clear reasons established and we have not been able to enjoy buying the usual Kenyan products ranging from Bitege (African wear), ornaments, earrings, safari boots and leather sandals at take-away prices,” Jean Paul Habimana, one avid customer said.Many complain that Gikondo is simply too far, or too expensive to travel to instead.“The travel ticket to and from Kigali is expensive and we used to have the products at our disposal…with lots savings done in the process,” Habimana says. Last year, Kenyan retailers complained that the event in Muhanga was costly and sales simply too low to justify their attendance.“In the first days, we’ve had minimal sales and few people come only to consult on the prices. Over the week we have been had many Rwandans appreciating the prices and business is doing well but the returns are less compared to the Frw50.000 paid per stand” Joseph Waweru said last year. The Rwanda Private Sector Federation (FRSP) Representative in Muhanga could not be reached for comments by press time.Ends
