Members of the private sector have welcomed the entrance of Iwacu Finance, a new non-deposit lender, which was officially launched on Tuesday evening and joined the country’s fast expanding financial sector.

Iwacu Finance is a micro-lender that falls under the Non-deposit Financial Institutions category (NDFIs). It was established with the mission to help Rwandans thrive by providing quick loans in a way that is quicker than commercial banks.

 

Innocent Higiro (CEO of Iwacu Finance), spoke at the Onomo Hotel launch and said that people can get quick loans to help them realize their dreams without waiting.

 

 

Robert Bafakulera (chairperson of the Private Sector Federation) stated that Iwacu Finance’s entry on the market will greatly benefit the private sector, which still has huge gaps in accessing finance.

“Iwacu Finance has come to contribute to the socio-economic development of Rwandans and the country at large. We came up with the idea to establish it because we noticed there was a gap in access to finance especially among members of the business community who need quick loans,”

“You are a businessman and you want to clear your goods but you don’t have the money and you don’t have time to wait for the processes of commercial banks, we are here to fill that gap and give you the money you want in due time,” Higiro said.

Iwacu, which is licensed as a non-deposit bank by the National Bank of Rwanda, is one of the pioneers in this sector, which is dominated by MFIs and commercial banks.

According to Higiro, unlike other banks, Iwacu Finance clients don’t have to open accounts or deposit with the institution, or provide collateral. Each case is individually assessed and the money given to the client based on agreement on payment terms. The interest rate is the same as other banks.

Iwacu will issue personal loans, business loans, and agricultural loans among other products. Higiro stated that most NDFIs are foreign-owned in Rwanda and that Iwacu was one of the first Rwandan-owned NDFIs.

Robert Bafakulera was the chairperson for the Private Sector Federation (PSF), and he spoke at the launch. He said that Iwacu Finance will be a huge benefit to the private sector as it still has a lot of access to finance.

“As private sector, we are delighted to see the coming of Iwacu Finance, who bring a new product which was not heard of much in Rwanda. Business people will be accessing loans without having to go through lengthy commercial bank processes,”

“This means people will be able to access money quickly. We know most members of the business community don’t have the luxury of waiting for long for the bureaucratic processes of commercial banks. Iwacu Finance brings a quick and innovative solution to this challenge,” Bafakulera said.

The chairperson of PSF stated that Iwacu Finance not only came at the right moment, but it also provides a much-needed solution for access to finance that many businesses continue struggling with, especially after the Covid-19 epidemic.

“We encourage you to develop even more products for businesses and spread your wings in the region because that means you will facilitate business and trade in the region,” he added.

A growing financial sector

Ntoudi Mouyelo, Chief Investment Officer at Rwanda Finance, said that the launch of Iwacu Finance marks a positive milestone for Rwanda’s budding financial sector.

Mouyelo indicated that Rwanda will soon be a major financial centre not only in the region, but also on the continent. Rwanda Finance is the operator of the Kigali International Financial Centers (KIFC), which is the first financial hub in Sub-Saharan Africa.

He mentioned that Rwanda Finance wants to see more financial institutions, like Iwacu, come into the budding financial centre. It already has 40 members, all from Rwanda, Asia and Europe. These combined total over $400m.

“It is very important to see more financial institutions being born in Rwanda and we want to see more champions like Iwacu Finance boldly entering the market.

He stated that there would be more players in the market and the financial center would grow in terms its membership. This would mean that businesses would benefit directly from the pool of investment and financing opportunities available.

Mouyelo stated the private sector should take advantage of such financing options that are well regulated. This allows them to have quick access and can also help the financial institution expand. This is a win-win situation for all.

Access to finance for the unbanked: Improving access

James Rwagasana from BNR, the NDFI Supervisor at Central Bank, stated that non deposit taking financial institutions are crucial in bringing the Unbanked on board, especially those who are turned off by the bureaucratic process and other conditions of commercial banks.

“The most recent FINSCOPE study done by the Central bank shows that there are at least 23 percent of people who are unbanked but in actual sense have the capacity to be banked,”

“We believe NDFIs can play an important role in getting this percentage down. Some people want quick money to accomplish tasks without having to go through the commercial bank process and our job as the regulator we want to see this happen even on a larger scale,” Rwagasana said.

According to the BNR official regulators are responsible for protecting consumers and ensuring that institutions work profitably.

Higiro said that agricultural loans are among the products because the agriculture sector, which is of key importance to the country’s economy, faces a lot of challenges when it comes to access to finance because commercial banks don’t trust farmers.

The loans will help you purchase agricultural implements, such as machinery, storage units, and other farming resources.

“We believe Iwacu Finance will immensely contribute to the growth of the Rwandan economy, as one of the NDFI pioneers. Our aim is to serve the Rwandan community, mostly the underserved and for those business owners who need to elevate their companies to greater heights,” Higiro added.

editor@newtimesrwanda.com

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The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (8th Ministerial conference) was held last November and marked a historic moment in China-Africa relations. Chinese and African leaders agreed, at the conference, to synergize Belt and Road cooperation with the AU’s Agenda 2063 and the development strategies of individual African countries, to build a China-Africa community with a shared future that features mutual benefit and common development.

FOCAC was founded by Chinese companies that have built or upgraded more than 10,000 kms of railways for Africa, nearly 100,000 kms of highways, 100 ports, and more than 80 large power plants. Chinese companies have also assisted African countries to build more 130 medical facilities, over 170 schools, as well as trained more 160,000 professionals in various fields.

 

The achievements of China-Africa cooperation are visible across Africa today and can be felt in local communities as well as families. FOCAC, which has been in existence for 20 years, has become a key platform for dialogue between China and Africa and an effective mechanism to facilitate practical cooperation between the two countries. It is also a model for South and South cooperation thanks to its role as a hub for international development cooperation.

 

Solidarity and mutual assistance between China and Africa have not only consolidated Africa’s independent political status, but also enhanced Africa’s sustainable development capacity, presenting a magnificent picture of China-Africa friendship.

 

After the 8th FOCAC ministerial conference, China and Africa have overcome the impact of the pandemic, implemented the “The Nine Programs”, which aims to foster internal growth drivers in Africa and promote quality and effective China-Africa cooperation. China and Africa surpassed US$250 billion in bilateral trade last year, which was a record for the 13th consecutive year.

China-Africa cooperation is making great progress every day, opening up new horizons and creating new opportunities for friendship. It also creates new opportunities for mutual development and bringing benefits to both the Chinese and African people.

China-Rwanda’s cooperation is a sign of mutual understanding and mutual assistance and is a fine example in South-South collaboration. The China-Rwanda ties show the mutual desire of both civilizations to create a common force for development for the benefit of both peoples.

Rwanda is currently pursuing Vision 2050 under the leadership of President Paul Kagame. This vision aims to create an economically prosperous and high-income society by 2050. China and Rwanda are friendly partners of cooperation and seek to cooperate in all areas of infrastructure, quality, industrialization and manpower skills development. Technology transfer is also an option. The tangible projects that have transformed Rwandan landscapes include the New Bugesera International airport Expressway Project and 200-Borehole Well Project, Nyabarongo 2 Hydropower Plant Project, IPRC Musanze Extension Project, and Nyabarongo II Hydraulic Plant Project.

The projects mentioned above are an example of the indelible impact of deep cooperation between China & Rwanda.

Rwanda’s friendly trade environment is fostering trade development. The rapid growth in bilateral trade between China, Rwanda, and China over the past few years has strongly supported the creation of a new paradigm for development.

The bilateral trade between the countries reached a record high of more than US$364 millions by 2021. This was 13.4% higher than the same period last year. However, the two countries still face long-standing challenges due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Both the Chinese and Rwandan governments have been determined to accelerate the development of new business collaboration forms and models in order to create new growth drivers for bilateral commerce. The two sides continue to strengthen their trade cooperation with potential markets.

China and Rwanda signed a memorandum for cooperation on ecommerce. Since then, live streaming in ecommerce such an innovative sales pattern based upon the Electronic World Trade Platform has significantly boosted Rwandan exports. The exports of coffee have increased by 40 percent over the past two years.

China received last year the first shipment of dried chili originating from Rwanda. It was the first African country that had entered the Chinese market. China will offer duty-free treatment to Rwandan goods imported from China in September. This will strengthen the economic and trade relationships between the two countries.

Both sides continue to promote the import and trade of quality goods, trade integration and unimpeded commerce and work together to achieve the goal of stabilizing bilateral trade and improving its quality.

The Coordinators’ Meeting on the implementation of the Follow-up Actions of the 8th Ministerial Conference of FOCAC will be held soon this month. With the joint efforts of China as well as all members of FOCAC, the meeting will strengthen the exchanges of the implementation of “The Nine Prograns” and promote the cooperation projects, making new contribution to mutual benefit and common development between China and Rwanda, as well as China and Africa.

The Chinese Ambassador to Rwanda is the writer

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Reading has many benefits. It can make you more knowledgeable and stimulate your imagination. According to a University of Sussex study, it is also believed to reduce stress by 68%. 

Cliff Richard Ingabo, 25 years old, created a mobile app for children to encourage them to read more. Being an enthusiastic reader himself, he has found it fulfilling, so much that he can’t go a month without reading at least one book, and about three articles every day. 

 

His idea to boost the reading culture was inspired when he noticed that his neighbour’s eight-year-old child couldn’t read at all, despite being in grade two. 

 

He was puzzled at how someone could complete two years of school without being able to read. “I decided that I would do something about it,” he says. 

 

The phone application, TWIS, is short for ‘Twisomere’—loosely translated as ‘let’s read for ourselves’.

According to Ingabo, when choosing a name, he and his team wanted something that reflects who they are, where they come from, and what they’re driving towards. 

He found the short form to be very useful because it retained its character and could be read by anyone.

As a child, Ingabo says, he yearned to be a writer but was disheartened by people who said that the profession wasn’t ‘serious’, and so he gave up on it, but not for long.

He knew that there were many opportunities for those who could read and write and wanted to share his knowledge with young people. Reading and writing are closely connected. 

The geomatics engineer wanted to create positive change in society by curbing illiteracy—he longed to use whatever means he could, to make an impact, especially among young people.

“TWIS was a product of an absolute need in the community, and me coming full circle with what I had always wanted to do. It targets children between the ages of 5 and 12 years old who can read independently. However, we also have books for parents who have younger children and can read to them,” Ingabo says.

He explains how the app helps children read better by giving them age-appropriate stories and personalised assessments in Kinyarwanda.

He says that he has a web application and a mobile app, which he recently launched. This allows children to access over 100 books, and also quizzes to track their comprehension.

Ingabo explains that the app is offline-compatible and allows parents and teachers alike to track their children’s learning and understand gaps. This helps them to know where and how they can help.

“We wanted to see every child be able to read. The most recent data shows that in Rwanda, 21 per cent of third graders can’t read a single word correctly in a minute. This isn’t just in rural, poor areas. It’s everywhere. On the continent, 250 million children cannot read or count well even after four years of school,” he says. 

So far, impact

Ingabo also notes that the platform has made remarkable strides since its inception in 2020. They now have over 5,000 children using it, both in Rwanda and abroad. 

He also said that they now have over 100 book titles and have created 15 jobs for young people. “We employ 17 people across marketing, design, software development, book editing, and others.”

Ingabo claims that TWIS was one of the top 50 African education innovation in 2021. Save the Children worked with the team on a country-wide program to increase the availability of quality Kinyarwanda reading material to children in less fortunate communities.

He expects to have TWIS in all major African languages. Research has shown that children learn faster and better when they begin with their mother tongue. 

“We want to see every child empowered to fulfil their true potential, one story at a time,” he says. 

At the moment, his main focus is Kinyarwanda. However he is exploring opportunities to expand to Swahili and other languages, specifically Swahili. He currently targets Kenya and Tanzania.  TWIS is available on Google Play.

Cliff Richard Ingabo, founder of TWIS. Photo/Courtesy

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After losing its first two games in the 2022 African U-21 Championships, Tunisia, the U-21 men’s team will look to end its campaign on Wednesday.

Cameroon faces Rwanda in Sousse, a coastal port city. Kick-off, 6pm Kigali time.

 

Dominique Ntawangundi’s team lost to Libya in four sets (1-3) on Tuesday after suffering another defeat to Egypt the day before.

 

The first two sets were won by Libya, 25-18 and 25-13 respectively. Rwanda then took one back in a tight fought third set, 26-24. Libya quickly responded and won the fourth set 25-18.

 

Cameroon and Egypt are ahead of the final round. The third and fourth places are held by Rwanda and Libya, respectively.

After suffering an injury on Tuesday night, Merci Gisubizo is doubtful that Merci Gisubizo will be able to play in the Cameroon game.

editor@newtimesrwanda.com

Bugesera Football Club will welcome Kiyovu Sports to Nyamata Sports Stadium in an interesting fixture of the Rwanda premier league week one fixture.

Since the inception, the two teams have met eleven time, with Bugesera winning twice and drawing four. Losing five and winning five times respectively, while Kiyovu has won five, lost two and drawn four.

 

Last season, the games between Bugesera (Kiyovu) in the league ended in a 0-0 draw and 1-1, respectively.

 

Bugesera won 3 and drew 1 in preseason games. They won 11 games and conceded one goal.

 

Bryan Muhinda, Bugesera captain, insists that they are well-prepared for the game with Kiyovu. He boasted that they will get maximum points from the Green Baggies.

“Our preseason in Bugesera was good, we prepared well with our coaches and we played 4 games without losing any of them. I can say we are ready to fight this coming season,” Muhinda told Times Sport.

“Expectations for the game with Kiyovu are high.  I’m ready to face them because it’s a big team and last season they were second. We have no alternative than to beat them this time on our home grounds.”

A lot will depend upon Bryan Muhinda and his back-up team, as they have to keep the likes AbediBigirimana and Emmanuel Okwi, Fred Muhozi, Bienvenue Mugenzi and Bienvenue Mugenzi at the same time for the duration of the match.

Nyagatare Sports Stadium is hosting top flight football for only the second time in two years. It is expected that it will be a charged atmosphere with Sunrise FC welcoming Police FC.

Sunrise FC had a successful preseason that included wins against APR FC. Innocent Seninga, coach, will be looking to replicate that performance in his first league game.

Police FC have lost their precious asset Muhadjiri Hakizimana who has signed for Al Kholood in Saudi Arabia and Sunrise FC striker Samson Babuwa says they will capitalize on the loopholes in Vincent Mashami’s side.

“The game is a difficult game but we are motivated, we have a lot to prove. Sunrise is a great club, and it can be difficult to play with. Expectations are high.” Babuwa told this publication.

“The pre-season matches I watched indicate that Police FC have many flaws and we are going to exploit their weaknesses. Expectations are high, we are surely the underdogs because we are a newly promoted team but this is our first game in front of our fans and we will go all out to get the win.”

“We have to restore the honour of Golgota stadium and make it a fortress again.” He added.

AS Kigali will be welcoming Etincelles to the Kigali Stadium at Nyamirambo. Last season, their two games were drawn.

Etincelles new signing Moro Sumaila is unfazed about last season’s Peace Cup winners and is optimistic his team can get a good result away from home.

“For me personally, I do not see it as a big game. It’s a normal encounter. We will implement what our coaches have taught us and we will come from Kigali with at least a point.”

APR FC will host Musanze on Friday, August 19, while Rwamagana City will face Gorilla. Gasogi will entertain Mukura, while Rayon Sports will take on Rutsiro.

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Thomas ‘Young’ Nkusi, the legendary video jockey who popularised translating movies in the early 2000s, has died at the age of 40 after months battling liver complications in South Africa, where he was living with his family.

Bonnie Bugingo (his younger brother, a celebrated movie interpreter known as Junior Giti), confirmed his death on Wednesday

 

“He has been battling liver complications for the past eight months. He died in a hospital in South Africa,” Junior told The New Times on the telephone.

 

Yanga has been suffering from serious diseases for half a century.

 

He was in mid-2020 reported to have ‘miraculously’ won a battle against stage 4 stomach cancer three years after he was diagnosed with a tumor in the stomach and was in 2017, given a transfer to go to South Africa for biopsy.

He arrived in South Africa and was diagnosed with stomach cancer, which was stage four.

Nkusi was prescribed medical treatment, including chemotherapy. He said that he could see the prayers of famous pastors in his night visions. He decided to travel to Uganda to meet Pastor Robert Kayanja. Kayanja prayed for him. It was later found that the stomach cancer and tumor had disappeared.

He then quit video jockeying and confessed to sticking to serving God and forever speaking of his goodness worldwide.

“When he returned to Rwanda in 2020, he brought his wife and kids because he wanted to spend the rest of his life in his home country. But he was forced to return to South Africa when the disease worsened again,” Junior said of his brother who, he revealed, has been in a coma since Monday until he breathed his last on Wednesday.

According to him, the family is looking into arrangements to bring the body of their loved one so that they can be buried in their home country.

“His burial will take place in Rwanda. We are now in touch with Rwanda’s High Commission to South Africa so they can help us arrange the repatriation of his body,” said Junior.

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Environmental crime is an illegal act which directly harms the environment.

According to reports, the crime that is fourth most serious criminal activity worldwide is growing by five to seven percent each year.

 

The Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), during its investigation from August 8-14, found top environmental polluters in violation of the 2018 environmental law in Kamonyi, Muhanga and Gakenke districts.

 

Mining activities

 

REMA found that at least five mining companies, five clay-mining activities, and four sand-mining activities in the districts Kamonyi, Muhanga and Gakenke pollute the environment.

The probe found that the mining companies were causing soil erosion, polluting rivers, wetlands and failing to rehabilitate the mining sites.

Minerals washed in streams, rivers and lakes are fined with Rwf3 million according to the law.

The agency also discovered that some suspended miners were operating illegally without a license.

“Some were operating without complying with recommendations from Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study,” reads part of the report released on Tuesday.

Environmental Impact Assessment is a tool used to assess the significant effects of a project or development proposal on the environment.

EIAs help project decision makers to think about the possible effects on the environment early enough to avoid, reduce, or offset them.

Inspectors also discovered that there were no employees working in environmental protection at the investigated mining companies.

Industries and public buildings

According to the report owners of public buildings and industries have failed to comply with the IEA in order to avoid potential effects on the environment at an early stage.

Six of them were investigated during the inspection.

It also shows that the industries and public buildings are not sorting out waste and have not embraced waste water treatment.

“The institutions were operating yet they have never conducted Environmental Impact Assessment,” reads the report.

The law says that launching a project that may have harmful effects on the environment without an assessment attracts suspension of activities or closure besides being compelled to rehabilitate the damage to the environment plus an administrative fine of two percent of the total cost of the project.

Washing bays at wetlands

The investigation found that vehicles are being washed and discharging waste water into wetlands while some are dumping waste into the wetlands.

“Those washing vehicles should be using licensed car washing stations. Washing vehicles in wetlands pollutes the water sources and degrades biodiversity,” REMA warns.

Anybody who attempts to change the nature of a protected wetland other than research or science is subject to an administrative penalty of Rwf5,000,000. They are also ordered to rehabilitate any damages.

Packaging for bakery products in plastic

Despite the fact that single-use plastic items are now prohibited under the 2019 environmental law inspections found that some bakeries still package bread in plastics.

It was found that other food items were also being packaged in plastics and single-use plastics.

The report also disclosed businesses that are still retailing single use plastics such as straws, folks, cups among others.

REMA claims that at least 1,560 Kilogrammes single-use plastic items were collected during the investigation for recycling.

The law states that wholesalers of single-use plastic items and plastic bags are subject to an administrative fine of Rwf700,000.

A retailer is subject to an administrative fine of Rwf300,000. Also, the retailer will be ordered to surrender all plastic bags and other items.

Dumping waste on Mount Kigali

“A lot of waste is being dumped on Mount Kigali,” says the report, adding that mismanaged waste pollutes the environment and causes diseases.

 Any person who piles, abandons, disposes of wastes or dump waste water or materials on unauthorized public or private places pays fine of Rwf50,000 and is ordered to remove substances or rehabilitate damages.

If the Acts are committed in violation of a waste treatment authorization, the person is subject to an administrative penalty of Rwf5,000,000 and his/her authorization is also suspended or withdrawn.

Mount Kigali, where waste dumping was found, is one of the places in Kigali that is being developed into tourist destination.

You can remove immature trees

The inspection on construction projects also uncovered that 15 housing construction projects are using illegally harvested ‘immature trees’ instead of using metals or planks.

A person who uses immature timber in construction can face fines of up to Rwf300,000.00 or Rwf1 Million depending on the size and type of the house.

A driver of a truck carrying immature harvested trees faces Rwf500,000 fine while a person who illegally sells immaturely harvested trees is punished with a Rwf1 million fine.

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Pascal Dukuzumuremyi pays more milk today than he did two months ago.

Gasabo District resident is one among many who feel the pinch of limited milk supply. Officials blame drought effects on dairy farm output.  

 

“I have to pay Rwf500 on the same quantity of milk I used to buy at Rwf300. This is increasing my cost of living, and limiting my ability to save. But, because milk is my favorite drink, I accept to incur such a cost,” he told The New Times.

 

Prices for unprocessed freshmilk have risen from Rwf400 per unit about two months back to Rwf600 now in some parts Kigali.

 

Workers on duty at a Gicuimbi District milk collection centre Photo: Courtesy.

Inyange Industries Ltd. processed fresh milk, the price for a half-litre (or 500ml), pack rose by 60% to Rwf500 to Rwf800 in some areas of Kigali.

Some retailers said The New Times that they are buying a box containing a dozen half-litre milk packs of Inyange milk at Rwf8,000 from distributors, up from Rwf5,000 previously.

“Apart from the milk being expensive, the supply is so limited that sometimes we lack it,” one trader told The New Times on condition of anonymity.

Anita Umuhire (Deputy Managing Director at Inyange), said the contrary. The New Times that the firm did not increase prices of its milk, pointing out that a box of a dozen half-litre milk packs goes for Rwf4,700 to distributors.

She said that the average end consumer should not pay more then Rwf500 per half-litre milk package.

However, she stated that some traders may be profiting off the shortage in milk supply by speculating prices to increase their profits.

“Some traders are inflating Inyange milk prices to get higher proceeds,” she said, pointing out that prices are influenced by the forces of demand and supply,” she said.  

Supply and production of milk drop

Solange Uwituze The Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Board (RAB), Deputy Director General for Animal Resources Development, told The New Times that the observed shortage of milk supply is mainly attributable to the drought (characterised by the scarcity of forage and water for dairy cattle).

She stated that the drought period can have a significant effect on milk production, particularly in Eastern Province.

According to her, current data on milk aggregation show that the average milk quantity collected from 15 Nyagatare milk collection centres (MCCs), Nyagatare (a major dairy shed in the country) has dropped from 80,000 to 100,000 litres per hour during the rainy seasons (March-April) down to 39,900 (July).

This is exactly the same issue as Gahiga gashumba, chairperson of Nyagatare dairy farmers’ union, who revealed to The New Times that their milk production fell by around 70% because of drought.  

Umuhire stated that Inyange Industries was receiving 80,000 Liters of milk per day, but this drastically decreased to 20,000 Liters per day during the dry season.

 “Our milk supply has reduced by 75 percent. That is why the impact has been obviously felt on the market,” she said.

Ensuring sustainability

Inyange Industries is setting up a powdered milk factory in Nyagatare District, with a capacity to process 500,000 liters of milk per day. Umuhire says that Rwf30billion has been invested in the factory to date.

RAB data indicates that Rwanda produced an average 2.4 million litres of dairy milk per day by 2021. It is sold largely unprocessed, with only a small percentage being processed by dairy industrial units.

Uwituze said that important efforts to increase milk production even during the dry season are being deployed “and we are confident that the demand of the milk powder plant shall be met”.

In order to address forage scarcity, Uwituze said that dairy farmers have been mobilised for the forage cultivation and storage in preparation for drought, adding that the Government subsidises the costs of forage seeds.

She indicated that 4,558 Ha of forage had been cultivated in the fiscal year 2002/022.

Uwituze stated that water scarcity is being addressed by enhancing access to water at dairy farms, particularly Nyagatare milk shed.

These include, among others, the support to dairy farmers for acquiring dam-sheets for water storage on a subsidised scheme, and the construction of boreholes to enhance farmer’s accessibility to water [for cattle consumption].

For Gashumba, “there is a need for more efforts to ensure availability of fodder and water for cows for sustainable milk production.”

Uwituze stated that the possibility of increasing milk collection and distribution in other milksheds is being considered.

It is in this regard that feeder roads in Gishwati milk shed are being rehabilitated to allow a smooth collection of milk.

Based on the capacity of the existing infrastructures she stated that rehabilitation of Gishwati feeder routes will allow for the addition of 67,500 litres milk per day.

She noted that this will be a rapid increase in production as Nyagatare’s milk powder plant is currently under construction.

editor@newtimesrwanda.com

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RWANDA’S DRILL and trap movement, Loud Sound Music, has finally released its second album dubbed ‘Rwanda rw’Ejo 2’ after a listening session of unreleased tracks on the album that was held last week at Shooters Lounge, Kigali.

Hailed as the best movement and record label of upcoming artistes in Rwanda, Loud Sound Music has earned praise for its role in introducing drill genre and new talents to Rwanda’s music industry.

 

The long awaited album follows ‘Rwanda rw’Ejo 1,’ Loud Sound’s maiden album which showcased the new wave produced by the young generation and contributed to the rise of upcoming artistes such as Ririmba, OG2tone, Kenny K-Shot, Logan Joe among others.

 

Speak to The New TimesPro Zed, the founder of the record label, stated that the album is a landmark because it features rising artists in the local music scene.

 

“This album is a game-changing project which explains hardships young musicians face in Rwanda, and also showcases the vision they have for the local industry. This is the future of our industry!” Zed said, calling on music lovers to stream the album which is already on all major streaming platforms.

Premiered on Tuesday, Rwanda Rw’ejo producers include longtime collaborators like Yannick MYK, Ehlers, Joeca$$h, Pro Zed, among others, and feature renowned artistes like Confy, Ish Kevin, Bushali, Nikita heaven, Kivumbi King, Trizzie Ninety Six, Derek MYG and many others.

Some of the top-selling songs in Kigali include Volume and Envy, Pressure, Success Urukumbuzi, Sample, and many other.

Loud Sound music is a record label of only the young generation in Rwanda’s music industry making the new wave. Kenny Kshot is one of the biggest names in the label, along with Ririmba and Derek YMG, among others.

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