Traders in Kimironko market in Kigali have described as “high” the cost of newly introduced weighing scales by the Rwanda Bureau of Standards (RBS). The controversial scales cost Rwf185,000 each, for the larger version, and Rwf 60,000 for the smaller ones, yet scales currently in use range between Rwf10,000 and Rwf 15,000.They raised the concerns yesterday during an inspection tour of the market by officials from and Ministry of Trade and Industry.The ministry and RBS embarked on a countrywide campaign to sensitise traders to use standardised weighing scales to avoid duping consumers.An Irish potatoes trader at the market, Baptiste Ntizinduka, said, “Those weighing scales are very expensive vis-a-vis the value of my business. I simply can’t afford it; we have been using these (present) weighing scales for years. Our weighing scales do not have any problem except those who misuse them by cheating clients. “We requested RBS to reduce the price or let us pay in instalments but to no avail. It is ideal if they agree that we pay at least a half and we pay the rest thereafter as we continue with business,” he recommended.A business woman at the same market, Claire Nyirambarushimana, raised similar concerns. “My business is small and I do not have money to buy such an expensive weighing scale. I have never cheated customers,” she asserted.Another trader who sought anonymity proposed; “If vendors can cheat clients using the normal scales, they can do so with the new ones. Let them reduce the price or give them to us on credit,” another fruit seller stated. The traders say that apart from the high cost of the proposed weighing scales, they are difficult to repair once they get damaged or to replace their spare parts. However, the official in charge of competition and consumers protection at the ministry of Trade and Industry, Emmanuel Bayingana, emphasised that the idea behind the new scales is to protect consumers.“Any business person should consider the money to buy the standard weighing scales before running a business. They are not expensive but traders have ignored (our advice),” Bayingana said.
