06
Aug

Residents of Munanira Cell, in Kabagari Sector, Ruhango District are jubilating as the electricity line giving access to on-grid electricity to more than 1829 was completed and already 1573 households have been connected to the grid. The citizens say that this development will bring new business investment opportunities and improve their livelihoods. 

Mukamana Anonciata lives in Muremure center. She says that there are some services that she couldn’t find in her neighborhood and that she was always obliged to travel long distances to find them. Now she is happy that with electricity, she will find them in her village. 

“There was no welding workshop and mills in this area. We used to travel to Buhanda to get our crops milled” she said. 

She said that in only one week after they got access to electricity, a positive change in their daily lives is obvious.  New businesses are being started such as barber shops, mills, welding workshops and carpentry.

“Many houses have already been booked for such businesses” she added. 

Bushayija Antoine who is also disabled says that after seeing that the electrical line was completed, he immediately went to the bank and requested a loan to buy a milling machine. 
 
“There was no single electrical milling machine in our village. There was only one diesel powered milling machine and people don’t like using it” he said. 

He says that now a week after he started using his milling machine, he is making a good income and he has hope that he will be able to pay back the loan and start making profits. 

Nyiringango Jean de Dieu, the Manager of REG branch in Ruhango District says that the branch is targeting to connect 1829 households and so far a total of 1573 households have already been connected.

As of today, 47% of all households located in Ruhango District have access to electricity. These include 36% are connected to the grid and 11% using off-grid solutions.