The EastAfrican
Date: 01.03.2015
Page 42
Article size: 133 cm2
ColumnCM: 29.55
AVE: 44333.33
Burundi gives traders new market, two years after
By HAVYARIMANA MOSES
By HAVYARIMANA MOSES
BURUNDI HAS finally handed over a new
market to traders who lost their property in a
fire disaster two years ago.
"Traders in this market will not pay tax for
a period of six months in order to help them
other partners and donors contributed an
other partners and donors contributed an
estimated 1.6 billion francs, The African
Development bank gave $500,000 to help
build the new market, which occupies two­
restart their businesses," said Burundi's sec­
and­a­half hectares.
ond vice president Gervais Rufyikiri.
Market Management Company.
In 2013, Bujumbura experienced a
devastating blow to its economy when a
massive fire destroyed the country's largest
market. Only five per cent of the more than
5,000 traders had insured their businesses
Bujumbura's central market
accommodated more than five thousand
traders dealing mainly in food stuffs,
warehousing materials, new and secondhand
clothes.
Market Management Compai
Most of the traders who lost their property
in the fire outbreak opened small shops on
the outskirts of Bujumbura while others
have remained jobless. Many of the traders
kept their money in the market instead of
depositing in banks and so they lost their
savings and property.
The secretary­general of Burundi's
Chamber of Commerce Nkengurutse
Christian said traders were still struggling
to raise the capital needed to restart their
International
businesses.
organisations and the
East African Community
helped contribute $50,000
for the construction of
the new market, while
2,552
Of the 5,640 traders that
were registered in 2013, the
" new market was only able to
The number of traders accommodatedaccommodate 2,552 traders
in the new market from 5,640 traders who alread had C0Mracts
registered in 2013 ^ the BuJumbura Central
Ipsos Kenya ­ Acorn House,97 James Gichuru Road ­ Lavington ­ Nairobi ­ Kenya