Kagenza Simon Roger showing the progress of construction activities
Rwandans have started reaping fruits of peace and security in the Central African Republic (CAR) and are calling on their fellow countrymen to invest in the country.
This follows the efforts of Rwanda deploying peace keeping forces under the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in CAR (Minusca) to contribute to the restoration of security in the country which was once torn apart by conflict.
Kagenza Simon Roger, a Rwandan in the capital Bangui, who sells construction materials under his company ‘KEFA Sports Ltd’ is one of them and has been commissioned to renovate a small basketball stadium.
The stadium, Centre National de Basketball Martin Ngoko’, has 4,500 seats.
Kagenza said that business ventures are very possible, because there is basic infrastructure, but the first thing is to know the information on the ground as many come to CAR only to find that they do not have enough information to start a business.
“I would advise people who want to come here, that first of all they should come and do their research. They visit, look at everything there to understand what is missing,” Kagenza said.
Landry Sinda, another Rwandan who runs a restaurant and bar says that what a Rwanda can do in Kigali, they can do in Bangui.
“There are laws in Rwanda and there are laws here too. And there is security here,” Sinda said.
The business activities that the Rwandans have invested in have provided employment to CAR community.
Kagenza’s contract employs between 40 and 50 workers every day while Landry employs ten people in his Bar and Restaurant business.
Rwandan troops were first deployed to CAR in January 2014. Today there are more than 2,000 troops serving in CAR under the UN Peacekeeping mission. Rwanda also maintains more than 1,000 soldiers deployed in CAR under bilateral agreement.
