BUSINESSES AT STANDSTILL AS RWANDA-UGANDA BORDER CLOSURE CONTINUES

By Okoodi Abooki
www.mknewslink.com
In Katuna
Business people on Rwanda-Uganda border of Katuna are crying foul for loses they are incurring since the closure of the border post.
Some of those hit hard are the money changers who are stuck with Rwandan currencies and others have been forced to abandon this business.
Micheal Rwabohe a resident of Katuna who has spent 35 years in this business says Ugandans cannot use this money because no one needs it following the impasse.
The money changers further lament that they had borrowed some money to Rwandan traders whom they say cannot be traced since they have remained locked up in Rwanda.
The other affected groups are hotel operators who can hardly earn a penny.
Recheal Atuhaire a hotel operator says that their potential customers are those who work and cross this border post every day.
The Impasse has also led to counting loses by local authorities at Katuna town council as they can hardly collect any revenue from the border market and cargo trucks.
Mr Nelson Nsangabashaija, The Mayor Katuna border says they have since lost over 6 million shillings that they used to collect and use to provide different social services within the town council
Meanwhile all cargo trucks that were using Katuna border have been diverted to Mirama hills border in Ntungamo district that is 121 kilometres away from Katuna.
The diversion will subject the trucks to cover another distance of 176 kilometres from Mirama hills to Kigali which would have been just 76 kilometers if they had used Katuna border.
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